LOUIS TRICHARDT – A public meeting regarding the proposed rezoning of the town's Indigenous Tree Sanctuary, which was held on Friday (17th) left many residents with a sense of frustration and no closer to a peaceful solution to Council's controversial intentions.

Over the last couple of weeks the issue regarding the rezoning of this area for business development, commonly referred to as the Tree Park, sparked huge public outcry. Residents argued that although they are not against development within the municipal area, they should have a say as to where such development should take place.

In December, Council advertised an Environmental Impact Assessment meeting for which stakeholders and residents had to register before December 27 if they wanted to attend the meeting. The meeting was scheduled for January 17. Residents were immediately up in arms, questioning Council's motives for publishing such an important notice about a very controversial issue during a time when most people were away on holiday.

Last week, Council re-advertised the meeting, which is now scheduled to take place on February 21. In addition, they stated that last Friday's meeting will continue as planned, despite the fact that many residents failed to see the relevance of such a meeting as the meeting was now scheduled to take place on February 21. Nonetheless, a huge number of residents, conservationists, local businessmen and members of the region's agricultural unions attended the meeting.

In his opening address, Mr Reuben Rambado (Municipal Manager) explained that the decision to continue with Friday's meeting was made to get in touch with the people and to listen to their views. To this end, he added, it was decided to re-advertise the meeting and that the decision had nothing to do with residents' request for an extension period. It, however, soon became clear that Council and the residents, as well as other concerned groups, were drifting apart and are greatly divided over the issue.

In essence, the meeting served as an information session during which Mr Ben van der Schyf from Planning Concept Town & Regional Planners in Pietersburg, the consultant appointed by Council to facilitate in the rezoning process, tried to explain the process of rezoning. This immediately caused some confusion amongst those who attended as the meeting was advertised as an EIA meeting. This did not stop residents from voicing their concerns and objections. Their views were, however, met with little or no response from Council or the consultants. Mr Van der Schyf at an early stage of the meeting also stated that answers on objections would not be given, as it is up to Council to decide upon the matter at a later stage.

During the meeting, a petition containing the names of just over 1 500 signatures of people who oppose the proposed rezoning, was handed to Mr Van der Schyf. The petition was later down-played by the chief-whip of the ANC in the Makhado Municipal Council, Moses Tseli, when he rose to address the audience, only identifying himself as a resident of the town. As a lone voice, he praised Council for its efforts in rezoning the Tree Park. He also went as far as to divide the opinions of the predominantly white residents of the town and the predominantly black residents in rural areas regarding the issue. He remarked that those black residents who signed the petition, did not know what they were signing.

Mr Tseli was instantly called to order by a fellow black resident who rose and said that she too signed the petition and that she, in fact, read it before signing it. She also warned Mr Tsheli not to turn the proposed rezoning of the Tree Park into a racist issue, as it has nothing to do with racism. She then went on to talk about the issue at hand and said that it had to do with nature conservation as well as sustainable development. Her views were widely applauded, after which yet another black resident rose to find out what exactly Council's views were regarding nature conservation.

For concerned residents, Friday's meeting ended in frustration and on a negative note. It set the scene for what is expected to be a very heated meeting on February 21.