ARTHUR van Vuuren, of Bonaero Park, writes:
The article and letters pertaining to the Bonaero Park development refers.
The planned development raises more serious questions regarding the environmental requirements i.e. town planning and building regulation requirements.
It is quite strange that such a mammoth ‘preparation’ operation can take place without any official documentation and/or plans having been submitted.
Also read:
• Birds die as developers start digging on Bonaero Park site
• Bonaero Park seagulls are ‘killing each other’
It is also quite suspicious that no formal reaction is forthcoming regarding the requirements and subsequent compliance with the relevant national environmental management act and its amendments.
Firstly, a rezoning application had to be submitted and approved, prior to such a major earth-moving operation being launched. Secondly, it would be subject to township establishment in line with the Local Spatial Development Framework (LSDF), with specific conditions of establishment that have to be complied with, before any development takes place.
It appears that we, the residents, are again being misled and deliberately deceived. I hereby request Clr André du Plessis, to urgently take this matter up with the Ekurhuleni Metro Municipality (EMM) and to report back the true facts to his constituency, without undue delay.
As far as the poor gulls are concerned, it is noted that they have never posed a problem in the past and the issue has been raised only since the first report of the envisaged mall development. The fact is, that the gulls’ natural habitat and ecosystem have been disturbed by the current activities onsite and they have been forced closer to the residential area. They are a blessing, rather than a curse, as their dung is organic and bio-degradable, rendering it excellent fertilizer for the soil.
The substances contained in the dung may be harmful, but only if one is totally covered by it for extended periods of time or regularly eat large quantities of it!
The chitter-chatter of the gulls are music to nature and animal lovers, and we would be much worse off without them.
