Frustrated Elaleni Coastal Forest Estate residents have grappled with persistent red sand blowing into their homes from the nearby Coral Cove Senior Living Estate development for the past three years.

The Berea red sand has taken a toll on homeowners; many of whom say they are exhausted by the ongoing disruption. Samantha Meyrick and Patrick Mooney – residents whose homes border the Auria development – said the long-running problem remains unresolved.

“It’s been horrendous over the past few weeks, especially with no rain. I cannot keep my house or car clean,” said Meyrick.

“The dust is still a massive issue. With the strong winds, our homes keep getting ruined,” said Mooney.

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Auria CEO Barry Kaganson acknowledged the impact the project has had on neighbouring homes and said the company is aware of residents’ concerns.

“We understand that the dust is a major nuisance and we are committed to managing it as best as we can,” he said.

Kaganson said residents experiencing the worst effects are largely located in close proximity to the construction site and are exposed to the prevailing wind direction at this time of year.

According to Kaganson, Auria has implemented several measures to curb blowing dust.

READ MORE: Elaleni residents protest over Coral Cove dust crisis | North Coast Courier

These include daily wetting of road surfaces using water trucks, applying emulsions to bind exposed soil, monitoring wind conditions and adjusting construction schedules where possible and accelerating landscaping, tarring and paving.

The company has also been paying for regular cleaning services for affected residents on an ongoing basis.

Kaganson said the site is closely monitored by environmental specialists Skyside and Exito Environmental Projects, who review environmental data that Auria shares weekly with residents via a WhatsApp group.

“Based on our monitoring and the data collected, we believe the dust does not pose a significant health risk to residents,” he said.

He added that the Environmental Control Officer from SRK Consulting compiles an environmental performance report that is distributed to government and other stakeholders.

“We have offered to engage with any health practitioner who has concerns and to share the relevant literature, including a recent World Health Organisation report on coarse dust. To date, none has taken up this invitation,” said Kaganson.

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