RESIDENTS against the Esselen Park housing development project plans to take the municipality to court.
The decision to take legal action against the proposed development was decided upon during a meeting on June 10 during which the taxpayers association and I&APs (interested and affected parties) of the Esselen Park/Birchleigh North Ext 4 Project discussed the latest developments.
This follows a letter from the Gauteng MEC for economic development, environment, agriculture and rural development, Lebogang Maile, which dismissed the residents’ appeal against the low-cost housing development.
Maile was invited by the community to present his reasons for the dismissal but failed to pitch.
“The MEC gave us an opportunity to raise our objections about the low-cost housing development.
Also read:
• MEC rejects residents’ objections to Esselen Park housing development
The public has not only objected to the proposed development but identified six fatal flaws in the planning, which need to be addressed before development can start,” chairperson of the Concerned Citizens of Birchleigh and Norkem Park, Stefan Hough, said.
Their concerns included inadequate and insufficient infrastructure and public services such as sewage systems, schools and police stations, which would be overloaded should more homes be built, which would inevitably lead to an increased population in the area.
A high school teacher present at the meeting confirmed that although the school she teaches at can take only about 360 Grade Eight learners, they currently have more than double that number.
Should the population increase, the school would be forced to take in even more learners. “We simply do not have enough schools in Kempton Park,” she explained.
Hough added that a few years ago, Birch Acres residents had embarked on a service delivery protest. One of their demands was for a school to be built in their area, proving even more there was already a shortage of schools. Residents also feel the low cost housing will bring down the property value of their homes.
The residents said all they requested was a professionally done plan. They want a registered property developer to evaluate properties so the houses built can be on par with the value of the existing properties in the area.
“Our biggest assets, our homes, should not be affected. All we ask is that they develop property that is of equal value to the value of our existing homes.No one gave us a cent when we built or bought our homes.”
Speaking on behalf of the residents, Hough said the community felt the MEC had gone against the public participation process (PPP) by not addressing the concerns regarding the development raised by residents.
“You have now turned public participation into public rejection and please consider this as our first phase of public protest against your ignoring of our concerns. We as the tax payers must finance the development and we cannot sit on the fence and applaud a half-baked development plan.”
As a result of this “bulldozing” and box-ticking at metro and provincial level, residents have requested their management team to start legal proceedings against any initiative to continue with the development.
Jan Vermaak, a representative from AfriForum, confirmed they were busy with processes to help the residents.
“At this point, the only thing that could probably work is taking this matter to court,” Vermaak said.
Ward councillor Gideon van Zyl agreed the issue needed to be taken to a wider audience through court action. He also informed the attendees that he had posed questions to council regarding this matter.
“The issue has been shoved through and the department is just doing a ‘box-ticking’ exercise to push this matter through. When I asked about a police station, they told me it was a different departmental issue. When I asked about schools they said it was the city planning department’s issue. So they just keep dodging questions and responsibilities,” Van Zyl said.
Vermaak invited anyone who would like to get involved, to contact him on 083 709 4467 or 082 605 1311. Alternatively, people can email afriforum.kemp@gmail.com
