Residents of Fisherhaven have issued a 21-day ultimatum to Mayor Archie Klaas over the rapid construction of Fisherhaven Academy, warning that failure to respond to their concerns will result in legal action and public escalation. 

The coastal village community says the school was approved and built without meaningful consultation, adequate environmental planning, or sufficient infrastructure provision, causing serious and lasting impacts on the area.

Fisherhaven, situated next to the Bot River Estuary, Western Cape, is known for its tranquil character, sensitive wetland ecosystem, rich birdlife, and free-roaming wild horses.

Residents argue that these defining features were largely ignored during the planning and execution of the school project.

“As long-term residents and property owners, we are alarmed at the way this project was imposed on our community,” the statement reads. “Fisherhaven’s natural environment and village character were treated as an afterthought.”

Central to the dispute is the transfer of Erf 279 to the Western Cape Department of Education under the Rapid School Build programme for a reported R100.

Residents say the Overstrand Municipality approved the transfer without meaningful public participation.

“This decision was taken over residents’ heads. There was no genuine consultation despite the significant and permanent impacts this development would have on our lives and on the village,” a community representative said.

Residents maintain that comprehensive social, traffic, and environmental impact assessments were not shared with the community before construction.

The village borders a sensitive wetland system linked to the Bot River Estuary, an area of regional ecological importance. Residents say the school’s design includes minimal landscaping, insufficient buffer zones between residential properties and the development, and no clear environmental mitigation strategy.

“This ecosystem deserves proper assessment and protection. Instead, it has been ignored or dismissed,” the statement says.

Construction practices have also come under fire. Residents report night-time building, excessive noise and dust, and heavy vehicle traffic through narrow village roads. One allegation has caused particular outrage.

“There were reports of contractors capturing local tortoises for food, which is completely unacceptable in a community that values wildlife and conservation,” read the statement.

Many of Fisherhaven’s roads, which are narrow dirt or lightly tarred, were never designed for heavy trucks or daily bus traffic. Residents claim the daily bussing of learners from outside the village has led to road damage, congestion, and safety risks for both residents and wildlife.

“There are no proper parking or sanitation facilities for buses and drivers; this has resulted in littering, public urination, and a decline in safety and hygiene standards.”

Residents are particularly concerned that the long-term maintenance of damaged roads will be funded from Fisherhaven’s already limited municipal budget, diverting resources from basic service upgrades such as road surfacing and street lighting.

They are calling for a transparent public inquiry into the land transfer and approval process, independent environmental and biodiversity assessments, and urgent infrastructure upgrades funded by provincial departments rather than the local municipal budget. They also want binding community consultation processes for future developments.

“We are not opposed to education,” a community representative said. “But development must be responsible, lawful, and respectful of the people and environment it affects.”

Despite claims that the school benefits the local community, residents say many learners are bussed in from outside Fisherhaven.

They say that this raises serious questions about planning logic and who this school is actually serving. They also argue that the school’s institutional design, including high fencing and minimal greenery, is out of keeping with the village’s nature-based character.

The mayor’s office was contacted for comment. At the time of publication, no response had been received.

lilita.gcwabe@inl.co.za

Source link