Western Cape environmental MEC Anton Bredell finds himself in the unenviable position of having to make a decision regarding the rezoning of the Lagoon Bay land by 29 April, well before the elections on 18 May.
With accusations of racism from the one side and accusations of intimidation from the other, Bredell is bound to upset a core group of voters, whatever he decides.
The minister has committed himself to making his decision public well before a high court hearing regarding the legality of the environmental approval will start.
Cape Windlass, a group of environmentalists and home owners in Glentana, wants the environmental approval granted by the former MEC overturned.
Pierre Uys approved the environmental application on appeal after his own department had turned it down.
The planned mega lifestyle estate include two golf courses, almost 900 houses, over 300 lodges, 150 flats, a hotel, conference facility, shops and offices.
Job creation
The George Leadership Forum (GLF) fervently supports the development, claiming the poor and jobless in the area will benefit greatly.
GLF spokesman, Cornelius Esau says Lagoon Bay will provide much needed jobs and that the developer, Werner Roux has set up the Hoogekraal Sustainable Trust that will see the community receive 2,5% of all house sales at the estate. "Apart from creating jobs, this trust money will be used to start empowering schemes in the area."
Esau has threatened with mass action if the rezoning application is not approved. "Our marches will be ten times bigger than before. Those opposed to the development are rich whites who simply want to protect their luxury life styles at the expense of the poor. The peoples’ voice will be heard and minister Bredell must understand that if need be, we will follow every possible legal route to bring George to a standstill."
Esau has distanced the forum from past violent incidents where the properties of known anti Lagoon Bay residents in Glentana were targeted.
Not about job creation
The chairman of Cape Windlass, Wim Gericke says the issue at stake is neither racism nor job creation. "Everyone is pro job creation, but Lagoon Bay is not about job creation. The developer did not suddenly feel the urge to do something for the poor. We all know that golf estates create very few jobs.
"The scale of the development is out of all proportion. We must look at sustainable options and this cannot be achieved by destroying our coastline and national heritage.
"We need to adhere to best practice. Do laws only apply to certain people? Uys went against his own officials’ recommendations."
According to Gericke Knysna is a prime example where golf estates have failed to provide jobs. "For every golfing estate a new slum goes up. It provides the promise of short term jobs with no long term benefits."
Sustainable
The developer, Werner Roux, says this is far from the truth. "The departments of water affairs, roads, as well as agriculture saw no problem with granting environmental approval and the guide plan was also accepted. The George city council also recommended that the minister approve our application. The only spanner in the works was the environmental officials who turned down our application on the basis that it is good agricultural land. This is not the case and that is why agriculture gave us the green light."
Roux also says the R5-billion development will create sustainable employment. "The 2,5% of sales that will be paid into the trust could be used by the community for schooling, bursaries etc. The trust will also act as a community bank to give people access to loans that would otherwise not qualify. Each of the 36 families who have always lived on the land will receive houses. A 50% ownership in a commercial nursery that will provide Lagoon Bay with plants is also part of the deal."
Roux said that the same group has instituted court proceedings against the development before. "The two previous times they just used another name. As Cape Windlass they do not have the right to bring a review application to court as it never took part in the EIA process. The doctors behind Cape Windlass are cowards. They use delaying tactics and every time we get to court they withdraw."
The chairman of the Tuiniqua Ratepayers Association, Helgaard Muller says the association is not against the development, but that they do have some concerns. "We are worried about water, the size of the project, the sensitive coastal area and the impact on the Glentana infrastructure."
According to Roux the conditions for approval forces the developer to provide its own infrastructure.
"We have to spend R100-million on a sewage purification system, R50-million on a power sub-station and R20-million on the Glentana road. "To make the development viable there is no way I can do it on a smaller scale."
An aerial photo of Lagoon Bay next to Maalgate and Glentana.
ARTICLE: ILSE SCHOONRAAD
