Glenvista community feels developments strain infrastructure

Glenvista, Oakdene and Mulbarton in Joburg South have been areas of development for the past three to four years, with malls and low-cost housing being built on almost every piece of vacant land.

The community’s primary concern is that the infrastructure cannot cope with the influx of traffic, as the roads and the water and electricity supply systems are not equipped to handle more residents.

Another issue is that the community lacks information about ongoing developments, resulting in a lack of understanding of how to oppose initiatives they believe will cause more harm than good.

Concerned residents have asked questions and opposed these developments personally. They have chosen to remain anonymous.

“The developments have caused many issues for the environment, infrastructure and safety. The building happens in areas with gas pipes and water and petrol pipelines because they run throughout areas in Glenvista, Mulbarton and even further than that,” said a concerned resident.

The shopping centre development in Bassonia is opposite the Bassonia Shopping Centre, which already caters to a large part of the area’s shopping needs. Therefore, residents see no need for another similar centre to be built.

“The centre will merely be a replica of the one opposite it. It will cause traffic jams throughout the day because the single-lane roads will be unable to cope with that amount of traffic. The water and electricity systems are not going to be upgraded.

The community will be hindered in many ways due to the overdevelopment, in terms of unnecessary malls and housing projects that aim to make money by fitting as many people as they can into a small space,” said a concerned resident.

Another development on Kliprivier Drive and Van Beek Avenue has been halted due to community pushback.
Ward 23 Clr Tyrell Meyers has also opposed the development in his personal capacity.

“I opposed the development and have sent the petitions in all my community groups to make residents aware. There should be a large, visible board at a development site indicating how long residents have to oppose it and the process they should follow. These boards are not present at the sites,” said Meyers.

“The main point is that the community needs to get more involved in opposing these developments for the aforementioned reasons, as the community will suffer without intervention.”

Omni Square, the commercial development in Bassonia, is being constructed by Stephcor Investments and BTS Projects.

The Comaro Chronicle made contact with the companies but has received no feedback regarding a comment on the community’s resistance to the development.

“We have followed guidelines on informing the community about the development,” said Stephan Cornelius, the managing director of Stephcor Investments.

The process for opposing a commercial development is as follows:

To oppose a commercial development in South Africa, you can lodge objections to the rezoning application, potentially through a public participation process, and seek legal action if the development is deemed illegal or detrimental to your community. You can also engage with the developer and the municipality to address your concerns.

• Locate the relevant municipality: Identify the municipality for the proposed development;

• Find public participation information: Municipalities often have dedicated sections on their websites or social media platforms for public participation. Search for terms like ‘public participation’, ’citizen engagement’ or ‘community consultations’;

• Attend meetings and consultations: Look for public meetings or consultations related to the development. These are opportunities to hear the proposal in detail and ask questions;

• Submit written feedback: Many municipalities have systems for submitting written feedback, which can include comments, questions, or detailed submissions;

• Use online platforms: Some municipalities might have online platforms for public participation, such as interactive maps or discussion forums;

• Contact local representatives: Reach out to your local councillors or ward committees to express your views and concerns;

• Organise or join existing groups: Consider joining or forming community groups or associations that are actively involved in local development issues;

• Use social media: Follow relevant municipal accounts and participate in discussions related to the development.

Key considerations:

• Timing: Be aware of deadlines for submitting feedback or attending consultations;

• Specificity: When submitting feedback, provide clear and concise information, including specific concerns and suggestions;

• Documentation: Keep records of your participation, including dates and times of consultations and any submissions you make.

The municipality to contact for Bassonia, Glenvista, Mulbarton and Oakdene is the City of Johannesburg.

For more information on public participation to oppose developments that might hinder the community, go to www.joburg.org.za or www.e-joburg.org.za