Keith Alfred Adolph Blake, Ottery
A few months ago while fishing at the Broken road, at Strandfontein beach, I noticed two City of Cape Town officials.
I asked them what was the purpose of them being here and they stated that that they were there regarding an application they received for cars to do burnouts on the parking area, a few meters from the beach and a few meters over sand dunes onto Baden Powell Road.
I expressed my disgust at such an environmental and ecological disaster to be unleashed on the beach and in the sea.
How can the City even in their wildest wisdom of governance even consider such a disastrous environment event?
On Wednesday March 11, while fishing at the exact spot I saw this group of about 10 people approaching the parking area, next to the sea at Broken road.
There were also a few Metro Police and traffic officials in this entourage and what struck me was the big notebooks they had in their hands.
I managed to stop a straggler at the back of this group, a Metro official and on my question he stated that they were all from different departments doing an on site inspection – at the parking area due to a car burn out application for this site.
I could not believe my ears.
One must close one’s eyes and see cars on the seashore, spinning, smoke and rubber particles landing in the dunes and sea and the effect of such pollution legally allowed by officials.
One can see the hundreds of cars illegally parking next to Baden Powell and people flocking over dunes to where the car burnout is being applied for.
One can also imagine the stream of cars flooding the beach, the dirt and litter that crowds can leave in their wake.
The big question is why here? Why not at Blouberg, Camps Bay or Sea Point?
Why here by the Cape Flats beach?
Such romantic events must be done in areas like Kyalami.
Do the residents know about this?
Does the relevant councillor know about this application?
I want answers.
Zahid Badroodien, mayoral committee member for community services and health, responds:
At present “spinning” is a growing motorsport across the city.
Spinning events occur unsupervised and without approval at a number of public facilities.
The City notes that spinning receives a large amount of support from the Mitchell’s Plain community.
An assessment was conducted to identify suitable alternative and safe venues away from residential properties for this sport to take place but still close enough to the community to be able to access the facility.
A site meeting to inspect a proposed alternative venue to the Lentegeur Sportsfield “spinning” site took place.
However, no final decisions have been made regarding the suitability of this alternative location.
Mr Blake’s accusations, assertions or assumptions in his email is based on his observations of the walkabout by officials and is an unfortunate exaggeration of what took place.