GEORGE NEWS - If it is up to the Gwaiing Action Group (Gwaiingriviermond Aksiegroep), the deadline for comment on the pre-application Section 24G report on the expansion of the existing Gwaiing Resort will be extended till after lockdown has ended.
George Herald reported on 2 July (Calling for comment on proposed Gwaiing Resort expansion) that the George Municipality has started listed activities in terms of the 2014 EIA regulations, but without the requisite environmental authorisation (EA), and is now applying for retrospective (ex post facto) approval (i.e. Section 24G Application).
In order to provide additional camping and caravan facilities at the existing Gwaiing Resort on Portion 82 of Farm 202, ±0,5 hectares of indigenous vegetation within a critically endangered ecosystem (Garden Route Granite Fynbos) was cleared in October 2018.
By commencing a listed activity without the requisite EA, the municipality contravened Section 24F of the Nema, and is therefore required to undertake a Section 24G Application, a retrospective authorisation process where a listed activity (in this case the clearance of critically endangered vegetation) was unlawfully conducted without the required approval (EA) in terms of the National Environmental Management Act (Nema) and the EIA regulations.
The comment period for the pre-application Section 24G report, which commenced on 9 March, has been extended until Monday 20 July.
However, the Gwaiingriviermond Aksiegroep believes it still does not offer enough time for people to react. Blanche Benjamin, chairperson of the group, on Monday said the group wants the municipality to play open cards with the public. She emphasised that the group is not in principle against the development, but they believe the public participation process was unsatisfactory.
Blanche Benjamin, chairperson of the Gwaiing Action Group (Gwaiingriviermond Aksiegroep).
Municipality responds
Director of Community Services Walter Hendricks said that the process is being handled by a service provider, Legacy EMC, that acts strictly according to applicable legislation. He pointed out that the process is currently only in the pre-application phase.
This is his reply:
"As such, any comments received from the Action Group (or anyone else) on the pre-application report will be responded to in the DRAFT report, which the public will have a further 30 days to comment on.
Furthermore, the pre-application Section 24G report (and all appendices) are available on the service provider's website - www.legacyemc.co.za as well as other electronic channels (e.g. One Drive, We Transfer) per request. Hard copies were placed at the libraries in March (pre-Covid-19 lockdown), but these libraries remain closed due to Covid-19.
"In terms of Public Participation, the service provider has already held a meeting with the Gwaiing Action Group in February 2020. The notes of this meeting are available on Legacy EMC website as an appendix to the pre-application Section 24G report. Two advertisements notifying the public of the availability of the pre-application Section 24G report for comment were placed in the George Herald (GH) newspaper in March 2020. The George Herald also published an article in last week's edition (2 July 2020) in this regard.
The service provider sent an e-mail on 17 June 2020 to all I&APs (interested and/or affected parties), including members of the Gwaiing Action Group, notifying them of the extended comment period.
The purpose of this phase is to notify the public of the application (e.g. via an advertisement in the paper) and to request IAPs to register and/or submit comments on the proposed application and/or pre-application S24G Report.
Once the comment period closes on 20 July 2020, a DRAFT S24G report (which incorporates comments received on the pre-application S24G report) will be prepared. This DRAFT report will also be available to registered I&APs for a 30-day comment period.
Only then is the FINAL S24G report prepared and submitted to the competent authority, the Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning (DEADP) for a decision to grant / refuse approval.
A hard copy of the Section 24G report is available to anyone to peruse at the Community Development offices at 82 Meade Street. Members of the public will however not be allowed to remove the document from the premises. The George Municipality has Covid-19 protocols in place to visit the offices and members of the public will be required to wear a mask on entering the building and for the duration of their visit, sanitise their hands and fill in a register with relevant information at the point of entry.
We request the public to first make an appointment with Priscilla Burgoyne from Parks before visiting the Meade Street offices. She can be reached at 044 802 2900/2905 or on email at pburgoyne@george.gov.za. The offices are open from 07:45 until 14:00 from Monday to Friday.
As we remain in the pre-application phase please note any further inquiries or comments can be directed directly to the supplier, Legacy EMC at ppp@legacyemc.co.za."
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