by Neil van der Spuy. Sentinel May 1999 (See comment and map below.)
Within the Cape Peninsula the disposal of spoil and builders rubble has become a very serious problem and is going to get worse as landownwers and developers seek to develop land which was previously considered undevelopable. In Hout Bay, recent examples of dumping have occurred on the Kronendal wetlands on Erf 666 and on the riverbanks near the Victoria Road bridge.
It stands to reason that until now land which was reasonably easy to develop has been targeted, but as land becomes more scarce and values increase as supply diminishes, unscrupulous developers will seek to utilise land on the higher slopes of the Peninsula's mountainous landscape as well as on low lying areas containing wetlands and flood plains.
Both these types of terrain have a common problem. Land on slopes eventually requires extensive excavation for access and building platforms; and in many instances owners and developers are resorting to underground garages in order to fully exploit the height and bulk building restrictions.
Owners of land in low lying areas need to reclaim land and through modern building technology can now safely build on such reclaimed land. In addition the Cape Metropolitan MSDF Plan with its emphasis on densification further exacerbates the problem.
The brokers in this exercise are the transport contractors whose many numerous trucks travell the roads in and around Hout Bay. Remember also that there is very little if any law which effectively prohibits an owner from filling his land or excavating it in anticipation of development.
I believe that the Minister of the Environment should in terms of Section 21 of the Environment Conservation Act, identify the excavation and filling and the relocation of spoil and rubble as an activity which requires a permit and that every truck carrying such a load should be required to produce a copy of that permit. This would also help to prevent those small time transport contractors from dumping illegally on the sides and over the edge of roads. Once they have dumped it is very difficult to rectify the position or prosecute the offender.
The authorities on a length of the Outeniqua coast between Great Brak River and Wilderness have already achieved such a proclamation by the Minister. I can't think of a more appropriate area than the Cape Peninsula to have this protection.
Neil vd Spuy
| Illegal Dumping - How greedy landowners rape Hout Bay | |
| The map on the right shows the lower section of the Hout
Bay River. The red line shows the 50 yr flood line below which no development
is permitted by law.
See how development has been allowed on the Eastern side of the river above Princess Bridge and where a landowner is currently allowing dumping opposite Berg en Dal. |
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