Frustrated Elaleni Coastal Forest Estate residents protested outside the Zululami and Seaton entrance on Tuesday morning demanding action over ongoing red sand and dust pollution.

They say they are fed up with their properties and possessions being damaged by encroaching sand and dust caused by construction work on the neighbouring R800-million Coral Cove senior living development – an ongoing problem since February.

Monday afternoon’s strong wind wreaked havoc in Elaleni, prompting residents to picket for the second time. The images of homes, gardens, furniture and vehicles covered in sand and dust paint a grim picture. It is especially bad during north-easterly winds. The issue has dragged on for almost 10 months without resolution.

Patrick Mooney, spokesperson for the protesters, criticised what they believe to be a lack of effective solutions from the developers – Auria.

“We’ve had negotiations and promises of compensation, but nothing has worked. Yesterday’s north-easterly winds engulfed us in red sand and dust – a serious public health hazard. There’s even a photo of a baby covered in red sand. It’s ruining our quality of life and damaging our homes,” he said.

Mooney noted that construction trucks continuously move sand on the site, worsening the problem.

“I moved into my home in June, and both the interior and exterior are stained red, as are my appliances. Auria’s Senior Living CEO, Barry Kaganson, met with us and made promises, but none have come to fruition,” he said.

Mooney says correspondence mostly goes unanswered.

He noted that residents had been offered a basic cleaning service for their dirty homes but viewed it as futile considering not enough is being done to stop the sand and dust blowing into the estate.

Residents have also raised concerns about noise pollution, with construction running six days a week, starting at 6.30am and ending at 5pm.

Some homeowners fear that speaking out might jeopardise potential compensation and worry the pollution will decrease property values.

Kaganson acknowledged the dust issues and confirmed they stem from the Coral Cove site. However, he denied claims that the land was “blanket stripped” and maintained that Auria adheres to environmental regulations.

“We have implemented all required dust control and monitoring measures in collaboration with EnviroPro, experts in this field,” said Kaganson.

He added that residents could submit written claims for damages and noted that a cleaning service had been provided for affected homes.

“We take our responsibility, both for the health and well-being of our neighbours as well as the environment, extremely seriously, and take significant steps to ensure legal and practical compliance in this regard. We have, at all times, sought to do everything possible to limit the dust emanating from our site, and we continue to do this.

We are most sensitive to the comfort and health of our neighbours, and our teams remain proactively engaged to manage dust emitting from the Coral Cove site.”

Despite these assurances, residents remain dissatisfied, arguing that more needs to be done to address the ongoing pollution and its impact on their lives.

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