Cape Town - The Philippi Horticultural Area (PHA), once dubbed the food basket of the Cape Flats, is once again fighting for its survival, with mining, housing and commercial development threatening its existence.
This rich agricultural land, spanning several hundred hectares, was threatened during the drought because of talks that the City might source water from the aquifer to supplement its supply.
Now a campaign is calling on Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning MEC Anton Bredell and Cape Town mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis to preserve what’s left of the agricultural land in the PHA.
The campaign’s call comes after the Department of Water and Sanitation’s Water Tribunal rejected an appeal for an Integrated Water Use Licence application by Ardagh Glass Packaging SA (AGPSA), which sought to launch a secondary mine, Keysource Minerals, in the farmlands, mining for silica sand.
According to PHA campaign committee member Susanna Coleman, when AGPSA bought 55ha in the area, it threatened to use its prospect rights in a further 200ha.
Coleman said the City approved the rezoning of the land purchased by AGPSA without public participation. At the same time, Bredell approved the Environmental Impact Assessment despite numerous objections and appeals.
In response, Bredell said the ministry’s decision at the time took into account many factors, including support and objections gathered during the assessment process.
“We recognise the importance of the Cape Flats Aquifer and applications lodged and decisions taken must account for this. However, I am not the sole authority responsible for applications affecting the Cape Flats Aquifer, nor the sole authority to make such a declaration,” Bredell said.
Deputy mayor and spatial planning and environment Mayco member Eddie Andrews said the City had invited the public to comment before approving Keysource Mineral’s application.
Andrews said: “We can confirm that the City approved in 2017, for consent to operate mining activities on Portion 2 and 3 of Cape Farm 1378, Philippi. However, the approval lapsed in July 2022 when the applicant did not comply with the conditions of approval, nor have they exercised the rights that were granted at the time.”
However, Coleman maintains that the decisions taken had done nothing to protect or preserve the farmlands.
“The PHA has been growing food for Cape Town since 1865. However, since 2009, we have been finding it difficult to protect the area because the City doesn't value it for farming. Our government values the area for the possible sizeable developments it could host,” she said.
Coleman said since the body had started actively campaigning against developments in the PHA, it had struggled to garner support from the Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning.
“We have always felt that it’s disingenuous to collaborate with departments of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning. This (is) a clear case of a conflict of interest. Environmental Affairs is supposed to be championing our cause, but it’s attached to Development and Planning, which is seemingly pushing for the development of these farmlands.
“The best land for growing food should continue growing food.”
“The Cape Flats Aquifer is an integrated water system in the soil without ward boundaries, walls and fences. It cannot be sold off to the highest bidder,” Coleman said.
Keysource Minerals says it is sensitive to the value of the PHA and has agreed with stakeholders that mining activities would be limited to the piece of land with low agricultural value identified for mining.
According to the AGPSA, Keysource Minerals only has mining rights for 50ha of land, but intends to focus on around 30ha.
AGPSA spokesperson Tracey Peterson said while Keysource was disappointed that its licence application was rejected, it would explore options available before deciding on the way forward.