Latest news with #LandUseScheme
IOL News
2 days ago
- Business
- IOL News
Residents learn about multimodal transport benefits in Clairwood meeting
Clairwood residents expressed their views about town planning at a placard protest previously. On Friday, Clairwood residents were informed about how a multimodal transport network and the Cato Ridge inland dry port could help prevent the suburb from becoming a logistics hub. Image: Mthobisi/Nozulela/IOL This week Durban's Clairwood residents were informed about how a multimodal transport network and the Cato Ridge inland dry port could help prevent the suburb from becoming a logistics hub. Warwick Lord, CEO of Cato Ridge Inland Port, gave a presentation to residents in Clairwood on Friday titled: Catalyst for the increased efficiency and sustainability of trade in Sub-Saharan Africa. Desmond D'Sa, coordinator of the South Durban Community Environmental Alliance (SDCEA),called for the meeting. In 2025, the municipality consulted stakeholders on amending the Land Use Scheme in Clairwood to Special Zone 40: Logistics. This aligned with the Local Area Plan (LAP) adopted by the City in 2014. Lord explained that multimodal transport involves using more than one mode of transport to move goods and offers significant benefits, including lower transportation costs, shorter delivery times, and improved reliability. He stated that this will lead to reduced costs, faster deliveries, and more dependable service. 'In Africa, the integration of road, rail, and maritime transport is vital for optimizing supply chains and improving regional connectivity,' he said. Lord added that South Africa acts as a major gateway for trade in Sub-Saharan Africa, with its extensive coastline and advanced port infrastructure. However, he noted that logistical inefficiencies, regulatory challenges, and infrastructural deficits hinder its potential as a regional logistics hub. He emphasized that inland ports are instrumental in developing integrated transport solutions that strengthen logistics corridors, boosting trade competitiveness. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading The country, he said, has well-developed port infrastructure, with major ports handling large cargo volumes. Lord proposed several solutions to strengthen the logistics corridor which includes: - Investment in infrastructure - Development of intermodal facilities - Standardization of processes - Data sharing initiatives - Improved customer services According to Lord, since 9 August 2024 to 3 April 2025, 32 trains have traveled between Durban Port and Cato Ridge, removing approximately 1,408 truck trips from the roads in the past seven months, although December 2024 and January 2025 saw limited volumes. 'The facilities are well-equipped with reach stackers, security generators, and staff. Several local companies are inquiring about capacity and services. We are specifically seeking export clients who can pack goods in Cato Ridge and rail them to the port to ensure balanced loads,' Lord stated. The city's deadline for submissions on the amendment was 8 April 2025. D'Sa described the presentation as excellent and highlighted alternatives that would not involve demolishing residential homes. 'The inland port presentation is an eye-opener and needs political will to be carried through. We did present objections to the city about the rezoning, and we hope we cannot be dictated to and lose our homes. We don't need to build infrastructure such as roads because rail provides a solution," he said.
The Citizen
15-05-2025
- Politics
- The Citizen
Letter: Call for transparency and fairness in land use and property valuations
Letter: Call for transparency and fairness in land use and property valuations Alex Forster writes via email: Thank you MMC Sizwe for presenting the Land Use Scheme at the Heidelberg Town Hall on May 7, providing the community with an opportunity to voice their concerns regarding land use. Additionally, I thank you for providing a platform through which concerned community members and stakeholders have 28 days to raise their concerns and complaints to your office via email, and for assuring that these community concerns will be addressed and the necessary attention afforded to each concern/complaint. Firstly, as was pointed out in the presentation, the writing on the presentation handed out to attendees is so small that one cannot read the presentation, even using a magnifying glass. Secondly, the community was only notified of the presentation on short notice. Had the notification of the presentation been a little earlier on the website, it would have enabled the community to table pertinent concerns or complaints. I heard of the presentation on May 6. As Mr Wiersma pointed out, the public notification was only placed on the Lesedi website on the April 29. I feel I did not express myself fully at the presentation and will therefore use this opportunity to table the concerns/complaints of affected smallholder property owners. Smallholder title deeds expressly limit the number of dwelling houses built on each smallholding. As Mr Loydd, the town planner, informed us: 'Should a property owner wish to build additional dwellings, the municipality must be notified and authorisation should be obtained from the municipality'. I was shocked when one lady voiced her concerns regarding 72 rooms built for student accommodation on a residential property; buildings being erected 22cm from the border with another residential property, and buildings being erected within the flood line boundary. This revelation immediately brought to mind a writing in the September 16, 2024, of the Citizen Newspaper, 'Densification is eroding the quality of life'. This writing indicates that three dwellings erected on a residential plot are acceptable to municipalities and, for that matter, the building of 72 rooms for student accommodation on a plot is equally acceptable. The writing points out that the interests of developers take precedence over the rights of residents. Smallholder title deeds expressly restrict the number of animals which one may keep on a smallholding. An exceeding great concern is how Lesedi can start charging smallholders increased property tariffs of between 300% and 900%? The Lesedi Municipality would like the smallholder to believe that keeping 10 chickens on the smallholding means that such property is being expressly used for residential purposes, and therefore, the municipality is entitled to increase the property rates with these exorbitant increases. The municipality justifies charging small holders the 1:1 residential property rate instead of the 1:0.25 rate applicable to the agricultural properties rate. How is it that Lesedi advises those concerned smallholder property owners that this was communicated to them in a section 49 notification? This is not true. Those very few smallholders who did receive the section 49 notification were not alerted to the fact that rates would increase by between 300% and 900%. The section 49 notification reads as follows: 'Kindly note that your property location of agricultural holding —— AH is now valued at R…… and categorised as residential properties, and will commence to bill property rates on the above value as from July 1, 2024'. Here I would like to bring to your attention that in the 2019-2023 Valuation Roll where the smallholder properties were already categorised as residential. The smallholder is still categorised as residential on the 2024-2029 Valuation Roll So, once again, I ask why the 300% to 900% tariff increases on smallholders? I again think of the Citizen News writing: 'Densification is eroding the quality of life', and I think of the gentleman and the lady at the Land Use Presentation who were expressing their first-hand experience of how this densification of residential properties is happening and how it is adversely affecting: 1. The ability to sell properties 2. Lack of proper hygienic sewerage systems 3. Presence of open and raw sewerage running through properties 4. Absence of street lights 5. Neglect of cutting the grass 6. Infiltration of crime, which densification allows into the area 7. Absolute destruction of the quality of life needed to sustain healthy living areas to attract investment and promote economic growth in the area. On behalf of all smallholders, I respectfully request that Lesedi speedily address the smallholders' assessment rates dilemma, and just as speedily rectify what is obviously an injustice to all smallholders, and to revoke the current 2024-2029 Valuation Roll. MMC Sizwe, I note your willingness to assist property owners and the promise to address all issues. I thank you for encouraging concerned property owners and stakeholder attendees to email concerns to your office. You have assured the Land Use Presentation attendees that emails will be answered, not like the gentleman who raised the concern that an email informing your office of building rubble on the pavement. A year later, the rubble is still on the pavement, and his email was not been responded to. I will therefore cc many of the concerned community members and stakeholders I know of, and encourage each one to take up your offer. Additionally, I urge each property owner affected by the assessment rate hike to assist as much as they can in the remedying of the assessment rate contention. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Zawya
07-03-2025
- Business
- Zawya
South Africa: Gauteng's illegal boreholes and other water infrastructure woes
On 15 February 2025, Gautrain services between Rosebank and Park Station were halted due to an illegal borehole that caused water and soil seepage into an underground tunnel. This article explores the unintended consequences of the growing water crisis in Gauteng and the interplay between public and private infrastructure across sectors. Gauteng water crisis Recently, Gauteng residents have faced interrupted water provision due to intermittent supply, excessive use, and ageing infrastructure. This is the latest instalment in a series of water supply issues for the City of Johannesburg. In fact, the situation is so dire that Rand Water has warned of a total system collapse and has urged consumers in Tshwane, Johannesburg, and Ekurhuleni to reduce consumption as storage levels reportedly drop at an alarming rate. According to a system status report released by Johannesburg Water, 28 out of 61 reservoirs and towers are either critically low or completely empty, and 350 areas have been affected by outages. In October 2024, Rand Water issued a statement warning of "a real risk of supply depletion" unless municipalities implement recommendations, including the reduction of water losses, repairing of leaks, and addressing illegal activity. Large portions of the limited supply available are being wasted, with Rand Water already extracting at maximum levels. Improperly maintained ageing infrastructure and delays in key projects are also contributing to the crisis. Boreholes – the new solar As a result, boreholes have become to the water crisis what private rooftop solar panels are to loadshedding. Consumers with purchasing power are choosing to spend additional money to access basic services and help to relieve demands on public infrastructure. In 2016, Johannesburg Water partnered with the Borehole Water Association to encourage residents to switch to boreholes to save water. The City of Johannesburg has also encouraged those living in more affluent areas to install boreholes to increase the availability of municipal water for other consumers. According to the City of Johannesburg's Land Use Scheme, 2018, written consent from the municipality is required to install a borehole under section 14(1), and the application form is available on the City's website. Furthermore, municipal engineers and the Environmental Infrastructure Service Department must provide comments on whether the proposed borehole would impact existing infrastructure. Section 46 of the Gauteng Transport Infrastructure Act, 2001, provides that no person may make a structural alteration below the surface of a provincial road without the permission of the Member of the Executive Council of the Province. With illegal boreholes reportedly increasing amidst Gauteng's water crisis, compliance with local bylaws before drilling is crucial, as these restrictions are designed to prevent interference with existing infrastructure. However, with long wait times for municipal consent and poor enforcement of bylaws against the backdrop of intermittent water supply, it is concerning but not surprising that illegal boreholes are becoming more commonplace. Future of water infrastructure in South Africa Water is becoming an increasingly pressing issue for the government. On 27 August 2024, President Cyril Ramaphosa approved the South African National Water Resources Infrastructure Agency SOC Limited Bill (Bill), aimed at establishing the South African National Water Resources Infrastructure Agency (Agency). The Agency's purpose is to manage and secure funding for national resources infrastructure more efficiently. Read more about both the Bill and the Agency here. During his 2025 State of the Nation Address, President Ramaphosa acknowledged the growing water crisis and confirmed that investment in expanding water resources is a top government priority. He further mentioned that the Infrastructure Fund has secured R23bn for seven large water infrastructure projects and that delays in Phase 2 of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project and the uMkhomozi Dam have ended. Furthermore, the National Water Resources Infrastructure Agency is due to be established within the year to increase investment in water projects, and the Water Services Amendment Bill will introduce a licensing system for water service providers and remove licenses where providers fail to meet standards for quality drinking water. Public infrastructure and private intervention According to Gautrain Management Agency CEO Tshepo Kgobe, the disruption caused to the Gautrain by an illegally drilled borehole has caused major inconvenience to commuters and is expected to cost over R1m in short-term temporary repairs. There is also the additional loss of revenue for Gautrain as a result of the illegal drilling activity. However, the incident is a stark reminder of a much bigger issue: infrastructure does not exist in a vacuum, and when one sector starts to fail, there are knock-on effects on other parts of society. For the last decade, public and private attention has been largely focused on solving the country's electricity crisis. The Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP) is one of the most compelling examples of the change that can occur when government and private actors work together towards a common goal. However, given finite resources, the country must now turn its collective attention to improving water infrastructure, which could follow a similar model. Water producer programme The United Arab Emirates has successfully implemented an independent water producer programme where the private sector is contracted to develop, operate, and maintain reverse osmosis plants and enter into water purchase agreements with the relevant state-owned entity. The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) manages South Africa's water resources through policy, regulation, and bulk water management, while Water Service Authorities (municipalities) deliver water services to their respective communities. Any water equivalent of the REIPPPP would likely rely on these two bodies to improve water-related services and infrastructure. In January 2023, the DWS publicly committed to fostering more public-private partnerships to develop mega-infrastructure projects. However, there has been limited appetite for large-scale Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) in the sector. If a focused programme similar to the REIPPPP were introduced, it would not only address growing concerns about water security but also attract investment and stimulate economic growth. Desalination, wastewater treatment The World Bank noted that Build-Operate-Transfer and Design-Build-Operate PPPs for desalination and wastewater treatment plants have become increasingly common in developing countries such as Mexico and Brazil. In these cases, private funding is raised, often with the help of guarantees to mitigate risk. These projects do not present the challenge of a private party managing an existing public workforce because they are often new builds or substantially new builds. However, the country still benefits from private investment, expertise, technology, and sustainable operations. Another growing trend internationally in the water and sanitation space is the use of performance-based contracts to address issues such as leak management and increased connectivity. The focus of PPPs of this nature is on knowledge and skills transfer, meaning that the public sector runs day-to-day operations of a utility but benefits from private sector expertise. Municipal management Based on its track record of successfully implemented private-public partnerships and independent procurement programmes, South Africa is theoretically well placed to address the looming water crisis. However, the Constitution states that water supply is a municipal function and therefore poses a challenge to implementing large-scale PPPs that have proven so successful internationally. There is the possibility of individual municipalities running programmes akin to the REIPPPP within their jurisdiction, however, the potential for municipal mismanagement and the lack of requisite resources and knowledge would make it a challenging solution to implement. What is clear, however, is that proper water management should be at the top of both government and the private sector's agenda for the foreseeable future.
