As you know, the MEC for the Department of Environmental Affairs and Economic Development rejected our appeal against the Environmental Authorisation granted to the developers of the River Club. This decision ignored evidence of the adverse impacts of the development on the environment, the harm for Climate resilience and the unlawful nature of the decision to override heritage requirements under the National Heritage Resources Act. In short, it was a bad decision made in a biased manner.
The OCA is left with no choice but to take the granting of the Environmental Authorisation on review to the High Court.
We will be doing this with other supporters as part of an ongoing campaign.
But, because going to court is an expensive business, we need your financial support to enable us to do this.
We have opened a fundraiser here where we appeal for funding to get our court case going.
Please assist us in making a contribution, no matter how large or small, for our case. Please also share with likeminded people who care about heritage, who care about the environment and who care about democracy.
Your support will make it possible to challenge these unfair decisions and galvanise a campaign to bring justice to the people of Cape Town and South Africa. This will enable a fair process in which the indigenous Khoi people who oppose the destruction of sacred land will be able to have their say about what kind of development happens on the land. This will enable us to plan proper measures to rehabilitate a river course that is sacred to the Khoi and prevent it from being filled in to allow an artificial river to be created in its place. It will enable us to stop the placement of 150 000 square meters of concrete on a 14.7-hectare site that will reduce our resilience in the face of Climate Change. It will enable us to promote human rights and civic democracy in a province where development decisions are currently dictated by finances. It will enable us to insist that Sustainable Development can’t be reduced to money alone.
Warm Regards
Leslie London – OCA Chair