Govt okays Wild Coast toll road

2003-12-04 17:30

Cape Town - The need to uplift the poor people of the Eastern Cape has lead to the government giving the go-ahead for the N2 Wild Coast toll road that will run through the proposed Pondoland National Park.

International and local conservation groups have been lobbying against the road, saying there is a much-cheaper alternative that does not run through the proposed park.

The department of environmental affairs and tourism's director for environmental impact assessment, Wynand Fourie, said the road would have a small impact on the environment, but would greatly improve the lives of the people in the area.

"One of the reasons some of the poorest people in the country live in that area is because of inaccessibility. This is the reason there are so few developments. The need for this road was recognised many years ago," said Fourie.

He said an environmental impact assessment showed that the road would have a small percentage effect on the area.

"There has been consultation with a cross-section of people: the municipalities, the headman and traditional leaders. They want the road.

'Will detroy heritage'

"We are aware some people are opposing us, for whatever reasons. But an extremely small percentage of the environment will be affected.

"The benefits of this road are quite significant," he said.

The Democratic Alliance urged government to reconsider the decision, saying that the consultation process was inadequate.

DA environmental affairs spokesperson Errol Moorcroft said in a joint statement with colleagues that building the road would destroy part of the country's heritage.

"Affected communities and interested parties must reject this decision and must appeal to the minister of environmental affairs within the 30-day period in the interest of ours and our children's future heritage," he said.

The DA was concerned the decision to go-ahead was strongly linked to proposals from an Australian Mining Company to mine heavy metals from the Pondoland dunes.

Botanical hotspot

Conservationists claim this will threaten the success of the proposed national park in the area.

"The reluctance of the Eastern Cape government and the department to declare the proposed Pondoland Park area a World Heritage site raises serious suspicions.

"The MEC for economic affairs, environmental affairs and tourism must give the public the truth," said Moorcroft.

The road would go through about 20km of an area termed the greenfield section - it is recognised globally as a botanical hotspot.

The area that the road affects is also home to 180 known plant species which appear nowhere else in the world.

Moorcroft said the upgrading of the existing R61 road had not been adequately researched in the environmental impact assessment.

- SAPA