5 days ago
Uncertainty over sports field development irks Phoenix residents
Phoenix residents held a placard protest on the Eastbury recreational grounds seeking clarity on whether a housing complex will be built after a bulldozer was seen clearing the ground.
Image: KZN VIP Protection Services
Phoenix residents held a placard protest on the Eastbury recreational grounds seeking clarity on whether a housing complex will be built after a bulldozer was seen clearing the ground.
Democratic Alliance eThekwini ward 49 Councillor Tino Pillay said there was no development taking place and that a private individual was clearing the vegetation alongside the sports field. This was on the basis of creating additional parking bays because he had applied for an informal trade permit at the grounds.
"People assumed that he was a developer and he was clearing the place for a development. All this drama taking place currently with the protest is basically irrelevant and there is no development taking place on the grounds," Pillay said.
Pillay shared a document from Woodglaze Trading manager Pravashkumar Inderjeeth which stated that they had not consented for anyone to clear the vegetation from the grounds.
"We immediately informed them to cease all activities with immediate effect and refrain from trespassing on the property, failing which we will seek legal action. We have no intention of developing the Eastbury sports field for housing," Inderjeeth stated.
Video Player is loading.
Play Video
Play
Unmute
Current Time
0:00
/
Duration
-:-
Loaded :
0%
Stream Type LIVE
Seek to live, currently behind live
LIVE
Remaining Time
-
0:00
This is a modal window.
Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.
Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque
Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps
Reset
restore all settings to the default values Done
Close Modal Dialog
End of dialog window.
Advertisement
Next
Stay
Close ✕
Pillay further advised that in this financial year the municipality is expected to transfer all Phoenix sports fields to the Parks Department and for them to be rezoned.
"There is no proof, nor did any member of the community contact me for clarity. If they had given me a courtesy call I would have advised them accordingly and prevented an escalation of false narratives," Pillay said.
Cyril Xaba, the Mayor of eThekwini Municipality, stated that all parcels of land earmarked for development under the Phoenix Infill Housing project are zoned special residential areas and fall under the Human Settlements Unit.
However, Xaba stated, some of these sites were used as parks, playgrounds and sport fields.
'Realising that, Human Settlements engaged its planners and the sites were reallocated back to Parks and Recreation Unit. To that effect, a council resolution was passed to keep them as open public spaces,' Xaba said.
This was done in consultation with relevant stakeholders like the South African Football Association Phoenix (SAFA), Xaba said, adding that the process entails subdividing and rezoning of the affected sites which will be carried out in the next financial year as it has financial implications.
'The suggestion or allegations that these sites have been given back to Human Settlements developers are incorrect and misleading. We want to assure the community that the municipality has not reneged on the council resolution to hand over some of these sites to the Parks, Recreation and Culture Unit as open public spaces and sport fields,' Xaba said.
