Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning:
With regard to the occupation of nature reserves by informal settlements dwellers:
(1) What are his Department and CapeNature’s preliminary plans for the Driftsands nature reserves;
(2) whether there are plans to relocate the occupiers to other areas; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
[1] The preliminary plan for the Driftsands Nature Reserve is to deproclaim and abolish the nature reserve in terms of the National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act 57 of 2003 and the Nature Conservation Ordinance 19 of 1974. A notice to inform the public of the intention to abolish the Nature Reserve status was published in the Gazette on 18 March 2022. The notice was further published in the three official languages in two relevant newspapers for public comment. The public has 60 days from the date of publication in the last newspaper, 27 March 2022, to submit any comments. The outcome of the public comment process is not known as the process has not concluded yet.
[2] There are no plans to relocate the occupiers to other areas since there is no other land or sites available for relocation at this time. The inter-departmental Task Team has recommended that letters be provided to occupiers of the area in the reserve at risk of flooding during winter, requesting them to voluntarily relocate to a safer, demarcated area within the current nature reserve. Once the unlawful occupants have moved from the dam, the City of Cape Town will be able to undertake the necessary maintenance of the City’s infrastructure.
