Strandfontein residents are up in arms about a mining company eyeing their sand dunes, saying not only will it harm the environment but it also affect the long-term future of the small community.
Mario Oostendurp, chairperson of the Strandfontein Ratepayers and Residents Association, says their objections are being ignored by the mining company MaccSand.
“We have over 2000 people who signed the petition to oppose the mining but it is still going ahead,” he says.
Two sites are planned for the mining and both are situated near the Strandfontein sports field which separates the suburb from Baden Powell Drive.
According to the residents, the mining will destroy local wildlife and vegetation, while also opening the door for land invasions.
Oostendurp says: “The dunes are home to many animals like snakes, weasels and butterflies while there is so much vegetation that will just disappear.
“There might be a financial gain by this but nobody in the community will see it and with the ground flattened, there could even be land invaders coming into the area.”
When the Daily Voice checked the online petition on Change.org website, the number of signatures stood at nearly 3000.
Mayco member for Spatial Planning and Environment, Mariaan Nieuwoudt, says the City will look into the application after the deadline for public comment at the end of this month.
“The City gave comment on the matter in November 2020 during the scoping phase and the request to comment on the environmental impact assessment was received on Tuesday, June 22.
“These reports will be reviewed and further comment will be supplied by the deadline of the participation process.”
MaccSand failed to comment on the matter.