The Minister for Environment & Water Affairs recently over-ruled all 49 appeals against the N2 toll road, and granted permission for the proposed N2 toll road to pass through, and destroy, 16% of the greenfields of the Pondoland Center of Endemism (PCE). The new EIA acknowledges that there will be a “loss of sensitive habitats” and “faunal impacts with loss of faunal diversity and loss of species of special concern.”

Read more at: www.care2.com

The general public had until 19 May 2010 to submit objections to the minister in writing, and we submitted 1711 petition signatures and email addresses, along with social and environmental grounds for opposing the road ploughing through the Transkei's AmaPondo people and destroying a fragile ecosystem. (See www.wildcoast.co.za/node/1189)

To be honest, this petition didn't work then, and it's doubtful that it will have much impact now; since our government pretty much does whatever it wants anyway. What we can do though, is register our disapproval and stand in solidarity with the AmaPondo (including ~deposed~ King Mpondombini Sigcau and his queen) in opposing the destruction of their land and culture.

Succinctly: development for the people of Pondoland does not depend solely on the N2 being routed through the greenfields of the PCE. The continued existence of the PCE, however, depends entirely on it not doing so.

The PCE is an internationally recognized biodiversity hotspot, and as signatory to the international Convention of Biodiversity, the South African government is reneging on its international commitments, and also violating numerous mainstays of our Constitution which are meant to safeguard the environment, our lifestyle, culture and traditions.

The social consequences for local residents will be devastating due to their being cut off from coastal resources and commonages. The entire roadway will be fenced off and residents will have to detour miles out of their way to gain access to the road, or to "the other side."

The negative impact on the environment will be enormous: destroying approximately 16% of the PCE greenfields in the wake of the proposed road; while secondary impacts - such as pollution and ribbon development that will surely follow - are not adequately considered in the EIA.

One can only conclude that the undisclosed reasons are to pave the way for large scale canola farming, and to provide road access to the strip mining at Xolobeni for the un-benificiated raw minerals.

We call on the government to abide by our constitution and international commitments.

Please read up more on the latest news at www.wildcoast.co.za/tollroad.

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N2 TOLL ROAD - GOVERNMENT APPEARS OBLIVIOUS TO THE COMPLEXITY OF REAL ISSUES AT STAKE

A recent parliamentary response to questions about the N2 Toll Road, posed to the Minister of Transport, shows the government has a deeply flawed understanding of the broader issues surrounding the N2 Toll road debacle. The Minister’s response suggests a government that is stuck in an inflexible time warp, basing its decisions on outdated, vastly flawed and unsustainable development projects that were conceived of in the early 90's, under scenarios vastly different from the situation that prevails today.

In reply to questions of whether the N2 was being planned as part of a broader spatial development plan, and how it would benefit the broader development objectives of the area, the Minister responded that the N2 was planned as part of the Wild Coast Spatial Development Initiative (WCSDI) intended to ‘unlock the development potential of the Eastern Cape’.

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