Dear Editor
In response to a DA parliamentary question, Provincial Minister of Environmental Affairs, Anton Bredell, disclosed that CapeNature spent R214 020 to demolish 144 illegal structures built in the Driftsands Nature Reserve. This came after the illegal invasion of the reserve during the earlier Covid-19 lockdown levels.
However, despite their best efforts, the Provincial Department of Environmental Affairs, CapeNature, and the City of Cape Town were unable to move unlawful land occupiers to safer locations and safeguard the status of the Driftsands Nature Reserve. This was due to the draconian Covid-19 regulations imposed by the National Government in early 2020 which restricted evictions in the event of illegal land invasions.
The Department and CapeNature in collaboration with the Provincial Departments of Public Works and Human Settlements, employed varies strategies to address the unlawful settlement and warn communities about the various dangers related to erecting structures in the reserve, these included:
- Warning the community of potential threat by installing signage noting danger and launching awareness campaigns.
- Ensuring that the City of Cape Town completed a Risk Assessment and a Dam Safety Report, both of which indicated that a tragedy might occur at any time in the event of a powerful enough storm.
- Created and updated numerous plans for the Detention Dam’s security and the removal of unlawful occupants.
- Assisting in the development of options across stakeholder mandates, support the creation of an application for an emergency housing grant, and prepared emergency applications for water licenses and environmental authorisations.
- Identified “higher ground” relocation areas on site to remove unlawful occupiers from dangerous areas.
- Revised multiple plans for relocation of unlawful occupants and securing of the Detention Dam.
MPP Andricus van der Westhuizen says, “Last month, Minister Bredell tabled a notice in the Western Cape Legislature to withdraw the Driftsands Nature Reserve’s status as a Provincial Nature Reserve — a decision which was supported by National Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Barbara Creecy, as well the Standing Committee on Environmental Affairs.
It is evident that the department took all the required precautions to safeguard the status of the reserve, however, the environmental and ecological damage to the area as a result of land invasions is simply irreversible.”
Regards
Andricus van der Westhuizen, MPP
DA Western Cape Spokesperson on Environmental Affairs
