BRACKENFELL
Woensdag, 27 Mei 2020 | Tel: 021 910 6500 | e-pos: nuus@tygerburger.co.za
@TygerBurger
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Construction halt costing millions Provincial minister of finance and economic opportunities, David Maynier (on the right) met with Tyrone Kleinjan (middle) of VDMW property development and Mark Jacobs of Redefine Properties on the deserted contruction site at Brackengate 2 last week. Read more on page 8.
ASBESTOS DUMPING SITE: ‘CAPPING’ WILL AVOID POLLUTION
R45m to make soil safe DESIRÉE RORKE @dezzierorke
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mid public fears of possible asbestos pollution, an application to have the old Everite asbestos dumping site in Brackenfell Industria safely rehabilitated for future development is currently underway. Local company Segway in March acquired the shares in Durobrick (Pty) Ltd for an undisclosed amount, according to Pieter Smith at Segway. “The sale of the shares was conditional upon very specific conditions ensuring the rehabilitation of the land. The current zoning of the land permits the development for industrial use,” says Smith.
Given the historical use of the land as an asbestos factory, Smith says an application had to be made for the closure and rehabilitation of the dumping site before any future development commences. He says processing of this application to the national department of environmental affairs is in an advanced stage, and will be lodged for statutory processing and approval, once completed. To rehabilitate the land and make it usable, a process called environmental capping will be employed. Capping systems are designed to contain and separate contaminated materials from the surrounding areas. Smith explains this R45 million project will ensure that the asbestos on the land does not contaminate the environment during or
after construction. “The land is cleared and raised with a specialised protective cap over the soil,” he says. Smith says the hostel site on the other portion of the land was part of the package and will be dealt with separately after lockdown. “Both the City of Cape Town, national housing and two other entities are looking at possibly taking it over,” he says. Marian Nieuwoudt, the City’s Mayco member for spatial planning and environment and ward 8 councillor in Brackenfell confirmed that local government does not have the authority to address the matter. “The provincial government is mandated to deal with hazardous material and I have requested an inspection of the site which
was concluded by the provincial health inspectorate,” she says. A report was generated and shared with then owners Group 5 last year, hence the strict condition of sale to have the land capped. As to the hostel portion of the land, Nieuwoudt says the land has approved land use rights for general and a minimum of single residential erven as well as an approved site development plan. “The stormwater retention pond on the site along Old Paarl road do contain asbestos but as long as it is covered with water, it possesses no danger. The last inspection (feedback) from provincial officials was that they could not find any asbestos in the pond or on the hostel site,” says Nieuwoudt.