Today I wrote a letter to Ms Helen Zille, the Executive Mayor of the City of Cape Town ('the Executive Mayor' and 'the City'), about the applications made by the Municipal Council of the City ('the Council') to the competent authorities in the Western Cape Provincial Government for certain approvals relating to the proposed new stadium and urban park on the Green Point Common ('the Stadium', 'the Urban Park' and 'the Common').
The applications made by the Council are the following:
The competent authority in relation to the application referred to in paragraph (a) above is Minister Richard Dyantyi, the Western Cape Minister of Local Government and Housing. I am the competent authority in relation to the applications referred to in paragraphs (b), (c), (f) and (g) above.
In addition to those applications I am currently considering appeals in terms of section 35(3) of the Environment Conservation Act 73 of 1989 ('ECA') against the granting of authorisation for the Stadium and Urban Park and associated infrastructure in terms of section 22 of the ECA on 31 October 2006. That decision was taken by the Director: Integrated Environmental Management (Region B) in the Provincial Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning on 31 October 2006, pursuant to an application by the City.
In my letter today to the Executive Mayor I informed her that I cannot take the first-instance decision about the applications for consents in terms of the Zoning Scheme referred to in paragraphs (d) and (e) above ('the consents') because the Zoning Scheme expressly vests the power to do so in the Council. There is nothing in the Zoning Scheme or in the LUPO, in terms of which the Zoning Scheme was made, which allows me to take the first-instance decisions about the consents.
I also informed the Executive Mayor that the Council's decision on the applications for the consents is appealable to me in terms of section 44 of LUPO and that it is desirable that I determine at the same time all of the current applications and all appeals relating to the proposed Stadium and Urban Park, including any appeals against the Council's decision on the applications for the consents.
It is accordingly necessary that the Council reconsider and take a decision on the consents.
I infer from the Council's decision taken on 7 December 2006 recommending to me that I grant the consents, that when the Council itself reconsiders them it will approve the consents. If the Council does so, the City must send registered letters to the objectors notifying them of the Council's decision and of their right to appeal in writing within 21 days of the registration of those letters.
If appeals are served within that period, upon receipt of the Council's comments and recommendations on the appeals or its notification that it has no comments or recommendations I will consider and determine together the applications referred to in paragraphs (b), (c), (f) and (g) above, the appeals in terms of section 35(3) of the ECA and the appeals against the Council's approval of the consents.
If no appeals are served within that 21 day period, I will consider and determine together the applications referred to in paragraphs (b), (c), (f) and (g) above and the appeals in terms of section 35(3) of the ECA.
I shall make and announce my decision on all these matters once I receive the Council's comments and recommendations on the appeals against its approval of the consents or its notification that it has no comments or recommendations.
As matters stand I will not be issuing any further media statements on this matter until I take my final decision.
Enquiries:
Lynnette Johns
Media Liaison Officer to Ms Tasneem Essop
Provincial Minister: Environment, Planning and Economic Development
Tel: 021 483 3915
Fax: 021 483 6081