13 May 2010, 09:11
Strong opposition to a new toll plaza at Isipingo began to coalesce last night when the eThekwini council and business in Durban announced plans to fight the proposed N2 Wild Coast Toll Road through a legal appeals process.

The Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry, representing more than 3 500 companies, signalled its intention to “pull out all the stops” to block the Isipingo portion of the controversial toll road.

Municipal manager Mike Sutcliffe also confirmed that the city would lodge an appeal following an executive committee meeting this week where councillors reaffirmed a resolution taken in 2002 to oppose any more toll roads within the city’s boundaries.

Quoting from a report submitted to the committee, Sutcliffe said there had been 8 000 objections to the toll road during the environmental impact assessment process and it was clear that proposed mitigation measures from the government would not address the negative impact of tolls on the Durban economy.

A recent report from the municipality notes that 350 000 people live in the southern part of the city and many would be adversely affected by the Isipingo plaza.

The report estimates there are about 57 000 work trips through the Isipingo area during the morning peak. About 70 percent of these trips were via public transport and about 30 percent by private cars.

The Durban chamber also called an urgent meeting yesterday afternoon to decide whether to submit a legal appeal against the recent decision to grant environmental approval for the project.

Members were warned that the deadline to file appeals expires next week.

Chamber president Clive Manci said he would continue to lobby senior government officials, though some members complained that the government appeared to be deaf to numerous protests raised so far.

Manci said it was clear that the trend to establish new toll roads in Durban and other parts of the province would raise the cost of doing business.

It is understood that several chamber members, under the umbrella of the South Durban Basin Business Coalition, have already prepared a separate legal appeal against the toll plaza.

Act fast

Attorney Glendyr Nel, who chairs the chamber’s environmental committee, warned that it was essential for members to take a decision soon.

“The May 19 deadline is just around the corner, so we need to act fast to prepare a properly considered legal appeal.”

Amar Sooklal, of the chamber’s economic development committee, said an economic assessment by transport consultant Gavin Maasdorp had highlighted several adverse impacts from the proposed toll plaza.

Manci said there seemed to be a presumption that Durban businesses would absorb further cost hikes like toll fees.

“The reality is that we can’t afford further increases in production costs.”

Members would decide swiftly on whether to align the chamber with other groups lodging appeals, or to lodge a separate appeal to lend strength to the appeals process.

It is understood that environmental and social groups under the umbrella of Sustaining the Wild Coast are also finalising an appeal, along with South Durban residents and commuters under the banner of the Upper South Coast Anti-Toll Focus Group.

The KwaZulu-Natal legislature is also opposed to the Isipingo plaza, but it was not clear last night whether the premier, Zweli Mkhize, would lodge an appeal.

This article was originally published on page 1 of The Mercury on May 13, 2010

Posted on May 14th, 2010 by Louis
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