- A public open day is being held to discuss the proposed extension of Cape Winelands Airport, including a 3.5 km runway and supporting infrastructure.
- However, residents and environmental consultants have criticised the short notice and lack of a formal meeting for transparent discussion.
- Public comments on the draft environmental impact report are open until 13 December, with documents available online and at Fisantekraal Library.
Some residents are upset that an invitation to a public open day about the proposed extension of Cape Winelands Airport today (Wednesday 20 November) was sent out to interested and affected parties only a week ago.
The event will be held from 14:00 to 20:00 at Goedgeleven in Klipheuwel Road, outside Durbanville.
The phased airport development will include the construction of a primary runway with a length of 3,5 km. Associated airport infrastructure for land-side and air-side use will also be phased in based on market demand.
Public open day
This public open day forms part of a One Environmental Management System application for a scoping and draft environmental-impact assessment process for the project.
Affected and interested parties have 30 days to provide PHS Consulting with comments – up to and inclusive of 13 December – by email to amanda@phsconsulting.co.za.
A hard copy of the in-process draft environmental-impact assessment report, water-use licence technical report, waste-management plan, maintenance-management plan and supporting documents will be available at the Fisantekraal Public Library for this period. It can also be viewed on www.phsconsulting.co.za.
Disrespect
Larry Eichstadt, an environmental consultant at Resource Management Services (RMS), says the current public consultation process is being driven legalistically, and although it may tick the boxes it shows complete disrespect to the larger Durbanville community at this time of the year, allowing as it does the specialist consultants involved in the project to hide away to some extent.
“It is imperative that a formal public meeting be held where the specialists present their reports in public and be questioned at the same time,” he said. “A public open day is potentially a soft, very hidden approach for this type of project.”
Eichardt said the circulation of a draft environmental impact report (DEIR) of such a significant project for the Durbanville community at this time of year, without making the DEIR available well into January 2025, is highly questionable.
“It would appear as if the public-participation process was being driven to the satisfaction of the client’s deadlines with complete disregard to fair public consultation processes.
“The notification of a public open day one week prior to the date and the fact that no formal public meeting where all professionals are required to formally present their reports and be questioned in a transparent manner and, where necessary, defend their findings, compounds the questionable public participation process. It amplifies the fact that focus is on the client’s and applicant’s needs and desires and not the EIA process and associated ethics.
“Why is no copy of the DEIR being placed at the Durbanville Public Library?”
Advertised
On enquiry by TygerBurger, Paul Slabbert of PHS Consulting commented that “it is good practice to have the open public day early in the 30-day comment period.
“It provides valuable information early enough to assist members of the public in formulating their comments. The public open day was advertised in TygerBurger on 13 November and all the readers should have seen it by now. All registered interested and affected parties were also notified directly by either email address or SMS.”
Focused engagement
“An open day is regarded as the most efficient way to provide a full informative day,” Slabbert pointed out. “In our case we are allowing for six hours of focused engagement from 14:00 to 20:00, giving people the opportunity to interact with the specialists on a one-on-one basis to ask anything they need clarity on.
“Considering the wide window provided to visit the venue it allows flexibility opposed to a set meeting time, and as a result many people already confirmed their attendance.
“It is more interactive than sitting in a meeting with presentations, and from experience the format of an open public day is more productive.
“We have already hosted a formal meeting at a community hall, on Wednesday 8 May, which was widely advertised and open to all members of the public.
“An open day scheduled for Wednesday 20 November is not in the December holidays, which typically start from Friday 20 December. We are within the allowance of the NEMA regulations and the DEA&DP official circular for completion of public participation within this period.”
Second round of public participation
“The DEIR states, on page 10, 703 and 704, that a second round of public participation is planned for early 2025,” Slabbert said.
“The public participation process for this project is regulated by the NEMA regulations and the time frames are set accordingly and not related to client deadlines, so this statement is misleading.
“Placement of hard copies is determined by whether the community has access to electronic means or not and which is the most accessible for people who don’t have their own transport. Therefore the Fisantekraal library is justified, and the reason for a hard copy being placed plus the facilities are first-class, it’s safe and there is secure parking.”
- Visit https://phsconsulting.co.za/proposed-expansion-of-cape-winelands-airport/ for the in-process draft environmental impact assessment report, water use license technical report, waste management plan, maintenance management plan and supporting documents
