SDCEA lodges comments on racecourse site’s development
THE South Durban Environmental Alliance (SDCEA) continues its fight against the industrialisation of the Clairwood Racecourse site and the perceived implications on the health and well-being of the surrounding community.
On Thursday, 12 December the SDCEA handed its comments on the proposed logistics hub to the KZN Department of Agriculture and Environmental Affairs and Kerry Seppings Environmental Management Specialists (KSEMS), the consultants handling the impact assessment for the development of the racecourse.
“The proposed development is a violation of people’s rights to a clean and healthy environment and to live in suburbs free from noise, toxic pollution and risk to life, which 2,200 trucks per hour will pose to the nearby residents,” said SDCEA co-ordinator, Desmond D’Sa.
“Given the history of the polluting industry and the carnage created by trucking companies, we expected the shareholders that hold our finance in their accounts would invest in cleaner and more sustainable development.
We oppose this development because our lives and community will be turned inside-out once the go ahead is given. This development is just bad medicine for the communities of Clairwood, Merebank, Wentworth, the Bluff, Isipingo, Umlazi, Lamontville and Montclair, including the surrounding suburbs and townships that use the M4.”
The list of issues raised in the submitted comments include the perceived flawed public participation process; the independence of the lead consultant; trucking concerns; climate change; all alternatives not wholly addressed; information and impacts not fully revealed; loss of biodiversity; alternatives and the overarching spatial plan.
The SDCEA has committed itself to fighting the proposed development and generating alternative options for uses of the highly-contentious site.
– erinh@dbn.caxton.co.za
