Complaint to Department Forrestry, Fisheries and Enviroment

We all saw the damage caused by the raw sewage flooding into properties in our area. This was caused by our aging infrastructure as it failed on Friday 4th April. This highlights the City of Cape Towns attitude to infrastructure as it recklessly developes our area. This caused massive damage to property and the enviroment. The City has been warned over the last ten years that the continued development of Table View would result in this kind of damage and health risks. Dispite this the City of Cape Town put the profits of developers and its own revenue ahead of the well being of the residents and rate payer. GTAF has lodged a complaint with the Department of Forrestry, Fisheries and Enviroment. To hold the City of Cape Town to account. We ask that you send a complaint to the Department of Forrestry, Fisheries and Enviroment by filling in the form below. You can read and edit this petition. Lets please stand up and hold these The City of Cape Town to account.

Enviromental Complaint against City of Cape Town

As a concerned community member. I report historical and continued environmental damage that has been caused and continues to be caused by multiple property owners and the City of Cape Town. 
The City of Cape Town being aware of a lack of capacity at its Potsdam Wastewater Treatment Plant continued to connect more newly built properties to the over loaded wastewater treatment plant. This has resulted in an environmental disaster within the Diep River, Milnerton Lagoon and the Table Bay Nature Reserve. In addition to the limitation at the Potsdam Plant regular failures of pumps and overloaded infrastructure have caused additional damage. 
Being aware of this damage the City of Cape Town and Multiple property owners have continued to this day connecting more properties to this overloaded infrastructure. They are aware that this will increase the pollution in the areas mentioned above. 
The claim from the City of Cape Town is that property owners have a right to develop their properties. This completely ignores the rights of the community to live in an environment that does them no harm. It ignores chapter 7 section 28 (1) in that the City of Cape Town has not taken any steps to prevent avoid, stop, or minimize this pollution from these buildings. 
We believe that the City of Cape Town has not complied with is legal obligations as set out in NEMA Chapter 1 (3) & (4) and Chapter 7 Section 28 
Any new building in the area should have required a private wastewater treatment plant. To avoid further environmental damage and continued health risks for our community. All package plants must be run in accordance with the law with the correct public participation. It is also illegal to discharge efluent into storm water drains. The City of Cape Town must demonstrate that it has the capacity of monitor these plants before permission is given. Whilst this will increase cost for the developer it would safeguard the environment and the health of its residents. In allowing additional connections to the overloaded infrastructure without a private package plant The City of Cape Town has prioritized the profits of landowners over the protection of the environment and its obligation to adhere to the law. Notably it has ignored the health risks to its residents that this pollution causes. The City of Cape Town are putting profits for developers and their own revenue collection over people’s health.
We call for the people responsible to be held to account in terms of the provision of NEMA these people are but not limited to: The City Manager, The Mayor of Cape Town, Mayoral Committee Member for Spatial Planning and the Environment. Department Head for Spatial Planning and the Environment. District Manager of the Blaauwberg Spatial Planning and Environment. Officials from Blaauwberg Spatial Planning & Environment. Decision Makers and the individual property owners. 
The latest reports from the City of Cape Town is that the damage already done to these areas would take 10 – 15 years to rectify. They are not sure if this is possible at all. The City of Cape Town has offered no costs estimates as to what this will cost. However, in line with NEMA this cleanup should be for the account of the people who have caused this damage.

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Complaint to Department Forrestry, Fisheries and Enviroment

Enviromental Complaint against City of Cape Town

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