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Concerns and Suggestions on Infrastructure Development Bill

SDCEA, an environmental justice organization, presents their concerns and suggestions regarding the Infrastructure Development Bill, highlighting the lack of public participation, the impact on marine life, truck congestion, housing neglect, and the need for an emergency plan.

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Concerns and Suggestions on Infrastructure Development Bill

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  1. INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT BILL [B49-2013] SUBMISSIONS MADE ON BEHALF OF SDCEA DATE: 16 JANUARY 2014 VENUE: PARLIAMENT, CAPE TOWN

  2. INTRODUCTION:SDCEA- WHO ARE WE? • SDCEA is an environmental justice organization based in South Durban. It comprises of 16 affiliate organizations and has been active since its formation in 1996. • It is a fully funded non-government organization existing solely on finances sourced from external funders and sponsors so that it can remain totally independent. • Considered successful for many reasons, SDCEA is a vocal and vigilant grouping in terms of lobbying, reporting and researching industrial incidents and accidents in this area. It contributes to the struggle for clean air and the alleviation of Environmental Racism.

  3. INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT BILL The Infrastructure Development Bill does not take into consideration our concerns as a community, the people who will be suffering the most. With regards to the Dug-Out Port, Back of Port expansion and the Clairewood Logistics Park, approximately 850 000 people will be affected with these new infrastructural developments. Apart from 850 000 people been affected by the new infrastructure developments, there are further issues which SDCEA has identified and are discussed below.

  4. MEANINGFUL PUBLIC PARTICIPATION Till date there has not been any meaningful public engagement given the following reasons: Time frame for comments Lack of attempt in ensuring communities attend meetings Documentation only provided in English Documents distributed in community is inadequate

  5. MEANINGFUL PUBLIC PARTICIPATION CONT… • To enable adequate public participation in these plans we call for: • The urgent establishment of a resourced stakeholder forum • Adequate resources • Translation of documents • Public hearings

  6. FOSSIL CARBON DEPENDENCE ISLAND VIEW- 2007 SHELL- 2006

  7. PRESENT HARBOUR: EXPANSION OF BERTH 203- 205 The expansion of the present harbour will have dire effects on the sand dunes and marine life. The EIA on the expansion of berth 203-205 fails to recognise a strategic plan that takes into consideration that the sand banks and mangroves are important for recreational and livelihoods purposes. It is vitally important that the mangroves, sandbanks, plant and marine life should be preserved and a long term management strategy and detailed action plan for conservation should be preserved. The Agulhas current which is one of the major western boundary currents on the KZN coast is been ignored as this can create huge water masses with relatively long residence times. The sediments that will result from dredging will be a destructive force that will smother and expose reefs and rocks, killing most marine life and seaweed. The estuaries leading into the Durban Harbour are very important nurseries for juveniles of some marine fishes including the spotted grunter a popular angling fish. As many of the estuaries are degraded through the lack of protection by the ports authorities, nothing is mentioned how this will be corrected or fixed. 

  8. DIG –OUT PORT: A GATEWAY FOR IMPORTS DoP AFTER DoP BEFORE

  9. DIG-OUT PORT CONT…

  10. TRUCK FREIGHT CLAIRWOOD We are concerned about the truck routes because: • Jacobs is already congested • Cut off residential traffic • Over congestion of m7 and Edwin swales • Increase in taverns, drugs and prostitution

  11. SOUTH DURBAN NEGLECT TO SERVICE AREAS

  12. HOUSING • Build what people need – extended families, single mothers. • Critical shortage – use open land available • Renovate and replace the ‘the flats’ with properly designed housing to stem the tide of social problems (drug trafficking, shebeens, gangs and violence. ) “Dilapidation contributes to a sense of neglect and hopelessness” • Allocate to people that have lived in area longest • Affordable to the poor in the area. • Create viable communities • Address flooding & waste management problems that bring pests Greater subsidies for basic services for the poor including water, electricity, schooling – cross-subsidise from high users

  13. PIPELINE INFRASTRUCTURE CANAL LEADING INTO CUTTINGS BEACH TARA ROAD

  14. EMERGENCY PLAN There is no emergency plan for the people of the South Durban Community in spite of there been promises made in 2013. Despite us coming to parliament on numerous occasions, nothing has been done.

  15. CONCLUSION We thank the committee for the opportunity to comment and present our finding’s and hope that our concerns can be addressed.

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