Residents worried about large development planned for Mieder Park

Mieder Park residents in Potchefstroom are worried after only a few heard on 4 June that an environmental impact assessment (EIA) was planned for the development of an apartment complex of 600 residential units. The proposed development will include three-storey buildings.

The area earmarked for this development is the property of the J.B. Marks Municipality and is situated at the park between Louw, Kiepersol and Palm Streets and Geelhout Avenue (plot 2110). It was originally zoned as a green area but was rezoned as a residential area at the end of last year.

The 600 residential units planned would include bachelor- (180 x 30m²), one-bedroom- (102 x 35m²) and double-bedroom apartments (318 x 40m²), which would potentially provide housing for 1200 residents. The development would also include a shop and a crèche.

The notices for the EIA were reportedly only delivered to a few residents next to the planned development.

The head of town planning at J.B. Marks Municipality, Owageng Melamu, motivated the rezoning of the park on 23 December 2019 and the document was signed off by the municipal manager, Lebu Ralegetho, on 7 January, without informing the residents or the public.

One of the residents who had received an EIA notice has started a WhatsApp group to inform more residents of the planned development. The concerned Mieder Park residents later formed the J.B. Marks Consumer and Ratepayers Association, to share their concerns in an apolitical way.

The association’s goal is to inform and represent residents legally and scientifically. Their first action will be to oppose the proposed development legally before 6 July.

The association will not only represent Mieder Park residents in the future but will support all Potchefstroom residents and assist them with objections to developments in other parts of Potchefstroom going forward.

Residents who wish to join the association should send their name, address and cell phone number to 072 920 0788 or email jbmarksresidents@gmail.com.

The Mieder Park residents’ biggest concern is the extra burden the development will put on the current failed sewer and water system in the area. Herald readers can attest to the regular articles that have been published since 2017, drawing the residents’ and municipality’s attention to the water and sewage problems in the southern part of Mieder Park. There have been frequent reports, especially during the rainy season, of sewer blockage at various homes and, in other cases, where raw sewage was pouring into homes and polluting the environment.

Adélle Jerling, the chairperson of the association that speaks on behalf of the residents, has long been aware of the sewerage problems and has been investigating several projects undertaken by the J.B. Marks Municipality to solve it.

“It has been determined that the sewerage pipes in the Mieder Park/Suiddorp area are too small to carry that amount of sewage. The plan was to extend the pipeline in Kock Street and connect it to the mainline. Unfortunately, the various contractors appointed by J.B. Marks never completed the project,” she says.

Despite the numerous sewerage problems, a report from consulting engineers, compiled in September 2019, shows that the development will only have a 0.4 per cent impact on the water and sewer system and, therefore, it can be accommodated.

According to Adélle, J.B. Marks and the Department of Water and Sanitation implemented a programme to promote the Potchefstroom bulk water infrastructure and address the water shortages. However, residents believe there are still regular water shortages in, for example, Extension 7 in Ikageng.

“Mieder Park residents agree that it is imperative to have more affordable housing in the municipal area. However, major developments cannot be allowed until a large-scale upgrade of the sewerage infrastructure in the southern part of town is successfully implemented.  This includes the sewerage plant,” says Adélle.

She adds that residents claim that large quantities of chemicals are used in an attempt to solve the sewage problem, which damages the delicate wetlands around the municipal sewerage plant in Viljoen Street. “There have already been reports of the sewage running behind Paws’ terrain in the wetlands. It is clearly visible in the oil layer that can be seen on the water and the sharp smell of water coming from the taps,” she says. Residents also expressed their concern about the impact that a large number of additional residents and vehicles will have on the noise and traffic in the area.

“Several residents have chosen to stay in Mieder Park because of the tranquillity of the area. They now feel their rights are being bullied away from them. The proposed entrance to the new development is Geelhout Avenue, and it is not big enough to handle the extra traffic,” says Adélle.

Mieder Park residents are furious at the way J.B. Marks has secretly conducted the rezoning and how it was advertised prematurely. The area earmarked for the development was rezoned from open space (green area) to residential 4 (densely-populated) during the quiet Christmas period. The municipal management used the municipal bylaw 114 (bylaw 114) to implement the rezoning. However, according to the DA councillor, Chris Hattingh, this can only be done once the Minister of Housing has approved it.

Before the development can take place, several studies must first be in place and residents and affected people allowed to give their input. According to a reliable source, however, the mayor has already started promoting this development widely on radio stations like Aganang FM and Star FM. By ignoring the local community radio stations, they are effectively targeting a selected audience.

On Wednesday, the Herald posed questions to the municipality on the planned development but, by Saturday, had not received any feedback.