20 February 2020

Agri SA welcomes the Western Cape High Court’s ruling earlier the week in a matter concerning the Philippi Horticultural Area and the impact of a proposed residential development on one of Cape Town’s crucial underground aquifers.

On 17 February 2020 Judge Kate Savage ruled in favour of the Philippi Horticultural Area Food and Agricultural Campaign and its convenor, Nazeem Sonday, in their protracted campaign to stop the development of 479 hectares of land owned by Oakland City Development Company (Pty) Ltd in Philippi, Cape Town.

The Court ruled that key factors concerning the impact of the development on the Philippi aquifer and the concomitant impact on climate change and water scarcity had not been taken into account by the MEC for Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning: Western Cape or the City of Cape Town in applications for environmental authorisation and rezoning of land directly adjacent to an important vegetable farming area in the city.

“This matter represents a significant legal development concerning the consideration of underground water resources in South Africa, particularly in respect of the competing interests between the agricultural sector on the one side and the need for residential and industrial development on the other,” said Janse Rabie, Head of Agri SA’s Natural Resources Centre of Excellence. “Decisionmakers must take our underground water resources into account when deciding on whether or not to allow residential and industrial developments in or around agricultural areas.”

The Court ordered that earlier decisions in this regard will now have to be re-considered by the MEC as well as the City’s General Appeals Committee.

Agri SA verwelkom Wes-Kaapse Hof se beslissing oor Philippi Tuinbou Area ontwikkeling

Agri SA verwelkom die Wes-Kaapse Hoërhof se beslissing van vroeër vandeesweek oor die Philippi Tuinbou Area en die effek van ‘n voorgestelde residensiële ontwikkeling op een van Kaapstad se belangrikste ondergrondse akwifers.

Regter Kate Savage het op 17 Februarie 2020 ten gunste van die Philippi Horticultural Area and Agricultural Campaign en sy sameroeper, Nazeem Sonday, beslis in hul uitgerekte veldtog om die ontwikkeling van 479 hektaar grond, wat aan Oakland City Development Company (Edms) Bpk behoort, in Philippi, Kaapstad te stuit.

Die hof het beslis dat sleutelfaktore met betrekking tot die ontwikkeling van die Philippi akwifers en die gepaardgaande impak van klimaatsverandering en waterskaarste nie deur die Wes-Kaapse Provinsiale Minister vir Plaaslike Regering, Omgewingsake en Ontwikkelingsbeplanning van die Stad Kaapstad in ag geneem is in aansoeke vir omgewingsmagtiging en die hersonering van grond wat direk aan ‘n belangrike groenteboerderye gebied in die stad grens nie.

“Hierdie saak verteenwoordig ‘n belangrike regsontwikkeling wat betref die oorweging van ondergrondse waterhulpbronne in Suid-Afrika, veral met betrekking tot die mededingende belange van die landbousektor aan die een kant en die behoefte aan residensiële en industriële ontwikkeling aan die ander” sê Janse Rabie, hoof van natuurlike hulpbronne by Agri SA. “Besluitnemers moet ons ondergrondse waterhulpbronne in ag neem wanneer besluite geneem word om residensiële-en industriële ontwikkelings in of rondom landbou areas toe te laat of nie.”

Die hof het gelas dat vorige besluite in dié verband deur die Provinsiale Minister en Stad se Algemene Appèlle Komitee nou heroorweeg sal moet word.