Save our Green Lung - Discrepancies in the Clairwood Racecourse Development

Save our Green Lung- Discrepancies in the Clairwood Racecourse Development

The future of the Clairwood Racecourse property and the surrounding community hang in the balance as SDCEA appeals the decsion to develp this limited green space into a detrimental Logistics Park. 

Residents of South Durban have called SDCEA and reported that trees are being felled, buildings were being demolished and noise activities were taking place on the Clairwood Racecourse site. SDCEA visited the site and indeed much activity was taking place, even when an official decision about the future of the property had not yet been granted. When SDCEA approached the developer, they refused to show documentation that they had the permits to develop. This is a shocking lack of regard to legislative decisions and protocol, especially considering that many communities are being affected. Now a decision has come through, and SDCEA has now appealed that positive authorization. This constitutes that any activity on the property by suspended. It is necessary that the developer does not continue operating with the blantant disregard that they have thus far. 

The benefits of economic development are often more immediate, important, and obvious to developing a city, but do not focus on sustainabilty and long-term future of the city. Further, these developments satisfy many of the priority needs and desires of huge business moguls and enterprises with blatant disregard for the residents of the city. The benefits of environmental protection and social enhancement of communities on the other hand are often less evident, less immediate and generally neglected in planning, but are nonetheless equally important. Natural resources continue to become scarce and threats to environmental and human health are ever-present.

This development in the south Durban community involving transport and freight in an already polluted petrochemical and toxic-industrial complex is misguided at a time when so many other basic needs are already unmet, and will further in their magnitude as a result of this development. This issue not only concerns the future of the residents of south Durba but of the city of Durban as a whole, as the repercussions of this building, including the loss of biodiversity and deterioration of air quality will seep out into the rest of the city. Further, the increase in traffic that will result in the development of this property into a Logistics Park will also be felt troughout the city.  

The Clairwood Racecourse Action Committee will be hosting a mass community meeting to discuss the upcoming development of the Clairwood Racecourse property and the issues and concerns of the residents of south Durban. A panel will be present to discuss the social issues that are related to this change, the destruction of the biodiversity, and the economic components of the development of this property. 

The meeting will be held on 28 June 2015 at 2:00 pm at MTSS Hall (28 Burdwan Road, Merebank). It is critical that many people in the community attend in order to attain well-rounded information about the development of the Clairwood Racecourse, and be able to voice any concerns and opinions they have about its development. 

Date: 28 June 2015 (Sunday)

Time: 2:00pm

Venue: MTSS Hall (28 Burdwan Road, Merebank)

For more information please contact:

 SDCEA offices at 031- 461 1991

 Desmond D’Sa on 083 982 6939

 KRF- Roshan Ramdeen at 084 306 32