Civics slam City’s vision for greater Table View

Civic leaders have slammed City development proposals that could change the face of Table View and surrounds over the next decade.

The City is holding online public meetings to share its new draft spatial development framework - essentially proposals on how future developments across the metro will shape communities.

The meetings for the Blaauwberg district will be held next week and the public will have a chance to comment on and question officials, the City says.

According to City documents, the 55 000ha Blaauwberg district has some of the fastest developing areas in the city, but also several underdeveloped, lower-income areas. The City says its Blaauwberg District Plan will provide the infrastructural support needed to maintain economic growth and create a more inclusive city.

Among other things, the plan outlines proposals for the upgrade of Parklands Main Road; a railway service to Atlantis; greater commercial activity and residential densification near transport routes; more green spaces; the development of Table View beachfront; and the protection of coastal, conservation and agricultural areas.

But some residents and civic groups have doubts about the plan and the way the public is being consulted about it.

Chairwoman of the Table View Ratepayers’ Association, Mandy da Matta, said the proposals were not only short on detail but also pointed to poor communication among the City departments.

“The City’s roads department is not bringing education departments into the picture, and health care or the department of social development are just completely ignored,” she said.

“’In the plans, there are no provisions made for new road infrastructure that is supposed to carry the expanded public transport system, taxis and the increased number of motor vehicles and trucks for the increased population and growth of buildings that is expected.

“There’s no provision made for new schools to be built. Table View is currently running short of five public schools, and Dunoon requires three to five public schools.

“No figures are provided for what the upgrade to infrastructure is going to cost nor is information provided as to what the current failing infrastructure’s current capacity is, never mind an expansion thereon,” Ms Da Matta said.

David Ayres, head of planning and biodiversity at the Greater Table View Action Forum (GTAF), accused the City of playing lip service to its legal obligation to consult the public on planning issues. GTAF was unhappy with the public participation process, he said.

“Documents are only available online and comments are only accepted online as staff work from home. This prevents those without access to the internet due to social or economic reasons from participating,” Mr Ayres said.

“This draft plan reads very much like a wish list for those in the development community. The draft Blaauwberg District Plan is an attack by the City on the property rights of the residents of Greater Table View as well as the constitutional right to a clean environment.

“This is the legacy of mayor Dan Plato, Alderman Xanthea Limberg and Marian Nieuwoudt. And our community and environment have been destroyed under the watch of these elected officials.

“The draft district plan 2021 sees the same problems copied and pasted from the last district plan as Alderman Limberg, Alderman Nieuwoudt and Mayor Plato have failed to act for over a decade and the same problems remain.”

The plan gave more power to the City and developers who would continue to destroy communities, he said.

Table View resident Brendan White said it was time for residents to stand up and voice their opinions directly with the City officials.

“It doesn’t help that we complain online all the time because we are just faced with the same issues over and over. We currently have a sewage plant that is cracking under pressure because there are more people moving into the area because of new developments. We have potholes and sinkholes in every other street because of the extra road users. I want residents to show up at meetings to challenge these developers and City officials,” he said.

The City says residents can email questions about the draft plan to blaauwberg.districtsdf@capetown.gov.za. There will also be a virtual Skype meeting next week on Tuesday May 11, where residents can get to speak directly to City officials. The meeting details can be found on the City’s website.