Anger over proposed Durban south logistics park
A public meeting on the proposed development of a logistics park south of Durban has ended abruptly.
A consultation process on the amendment of the Land Use Scheme had been scheduled to start on Monday.
But the chairperson of the Clairwood Ratepayers Association says residents left out of frustration over what they felt was a lack of information.
eThekwini Municipality invited the community to submit written objections before 8 April.
A link to the nearly 600-page document has been shared publicly, but Rishi Singh of the local ratepayers association says it’s too technical for the community to understand.
"You have to read and digest it, then give it to our superiors to understand the document. We are telling them to postpone all meetings today and the other two they have planned until we are ready for them. Until then, no meeting. We have a court case with the council at the High Court. "
He says the historic Clairwood area has deteriorated throughout the years.
" In the past they used what is the some clearance act that got rid of a lot of people because they condemned your houses. Now they come and put truckers next to the people that are selling them. From a population of about 50, 000 predominantly Indian people, now you're lucky if you've got even 5,000 people.”
The Bluff Ratepayers and Residents Association also opposes the proposal. It is concerned that once Clairwood is developed, Bluff could be next.
The Association's Allison Schoeman says specific demands must be met before the development proceeds.
"As a probable solution, we have suggested there must be a flyover from the M4 directly into the Bluff area that will eliminate residents having to navigate the road with all these big trucks around them."
She says they've insisted on upliftment projects in the neglected Edwin Swales area to ensure the entrance to the community doesn’t look like an industrial zone.
"We believe these measures are necessary given the challenges our community will face, and they should be included in the project budget. We understand the importance of the port functioning efficiently, but the impact on local communities must be considered. Our constitutional rights must be respected."
The municipality assures they're not rezoning land but instead providing a framework to guide future development.
It adds that the amendment aims to create a logistics park supporting the Durban Port.
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