Colbyn wetlands safe after community action
The Friends Of Colbyn Nature Valley and residents across the Tshwane metro have won another round in the fight to protect the Colbyn wetland.
The Friends Of Colbyn Nature Valley and residents across the Tshwane metro have won another round in the fight to protect the Colbyn wetland.
On 4 November at the continuation of the October council meeting, a report approving the sale on auction of the Colbyn Wetland area, portion R/6 Koedoespoort 456 JR, was steamrolled through council.
Despite the opposition pointing out that the Colbyn Nature Reserve was a declared Nature Reserve in June 2013 and that the Colbyn Golf Driving range had a lease on the major portion of the 609 589 square meters of land, the report was pushed through.
Subsequently, hundreds of objections were sent to the city manager, objecting to the proposed auction and demanding that the decision be revised.
Siobhan Muller, ward councillor of the area approached the department of environmental management for written assurances that only the portion known as the “Circus site” was intended for auction.
He said: “In council I was informed I did not read documents properly and that only the circus site would be sold. However, the report clearly speaks of the full portion being available for auction. After measuring the sizes of all portions including the ‘Circus site’, it was very clear that the mistake was in the report and not in the reading.”
Last week, some objectors received a letter from the department of corporate and shared services. According to the letter, objectors have been afforded a further 14 days to reply to the answers provided by the department regarding the proposed auction, after which the objections, departmental answers and the replies will serve before council.
“At last a sketch which identifies the exact extent of Portion R/6 Koedoespoort 456 JR that is to be sold on auction is actually identified and the subdivision is made clear. All who objected are urged to reply to the answers received,” said Muller.
“Now the community can hold the mayor and the city accountable for the exact portion to be sold and we can be certain that the portion north of Stanza Bopape Street will remain untouched. ”
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