As the plot thickens in the Plot 80 drama more and more nagging questions surface.
As reported in a previous article, one of the grievances of the affected parties is the flawed public participation (PP) process that took place – or as some have pointed out, the lack thereof.
The criticism of the process includes the following:
• Neighbours adjacent to Plot 80 did not receive written notification.
• They are unaware of any newspaper advertisements pertaining to the planned relocation of the squatters onto the property.
• They are unaware of any signage to inform the public that people will be settled on the land.
• There was no list of interested and affected (I&AP) parties.
• There was no PP report.
A PP report should contain:
• A description of the PP process followed with proof of such a process, e.g. copies of the newspaper advertisement and written correspondence with I&APs
• List of registered I&APs
• Proof of meeting proceedings
• PP map, indicating adjacent landowner consultation
• Issues and Response Report
According to Mogale City Local Municipality’s (MCLM) own Spatial Planning and Land Use Management By-Law of 2018, written notifications are required in various instances as per sections 43, 44, 45, 50 and 58. Section 43.5 also states that “No decision on the application shall be taken unless due regard has been given to each objection, comment and representation lodged timeously”, which begs the question what form of regard has been given to concerned parties’ multiple objections during the fiasco thus far.
On July 14 the News laid these issues at MCLM’s door.
The next day the News received a response from the MCLM’s corporate communications officer Adrian Amod that read, “Colleagues say that they’ve fully dealt with and exhausted the responses regarding Plot 80 media inquiry and will therefore not respond any further”.
In Amod’s defence, he was only supposed to escalate the inquiry to the relevant parties and not to answer it himself.
Also read: Plot 80: Security expert paints dark picture
Also read: Plot 80: EIA for interchange more than a decade old
Also read: Plot 80: Affected parties rubbish City and GDRT claims
Also read: Plot 80: A circus without clowns
