Phillipi Horticultural Area (PHA)

Human impact on the environmentGr 11 2013

Conditions of use of this overview of the PHA ppt presentation, articles and worksheets.

• This presentation is intended to introduce you, the educator, to the complexities of the PHA and to equip you to potentially use this local case study to give students a hands-on overview of this section of the syllabus, as it is topical, controversial and relevant.

• It is a compilation of slides extracted from talks given by Nazeer Sonday (spokesperson for the farmers and other organisations aiming to preserve the PHA) and a professional City of Cape Town planner and conservationist to a school’s learners, as well as some comments and discussions held amongst learners at the school after the presentations. The material presented is NOT to be used as such for other presentations please, as it is not original.

• Newspaper articles clipped from the Cape Times have been scanned and possible aspects which can be investigated accompany this overview. The worksheets and accompanying suggestions for approaching this topic are original and may be used for educational purposes at your school.

• Please consult the City of Cape Town’s website for further elucidation of aspects and policies mentioned in the presentation.

Location of the PHA: Western Cape

Source: Strategic Information, Strategic Development Information and GIS Department, updated - 2008/09/29

How the PHA has shrunk over time.

Land ownership in PHA

• Almost entirely privately owned land

• Non-horticultural land either wetland, dune, or biodiversity.

• Also illegal & non-conforming uses

Agriculture areas farmed in last 15 years

Farmed and non-farmed areas in the Northern

PHA Summer: January 2007Highlands Estate

Stran

dfo

ntein

Ro

ad

Ottery Shopping Centre

Olieb

oo

m R

oad

Varkensvlei Road

Boundary Road

Ottery R

oad

How water and farming challenges differ from season to season(black areas are water bodies).

Farmed and non-farmed areas in the Northern

PHA Spring: September 2007Highlands Estate

Strandfontein R

oad

Ottery Shopping Centre

Olieboom

Road

Varkensvlei Road

Boundary Road

Ottery R

oad

Cape Flats Aquifer

Naturally poorquality groundwater

zone of drawdown

Sea water

Salinegroundwater

Good qualitygroundwater

N SCONCEPTUAL GEOHYDROLOGICAL CROSS SECTION

PRIMARY AQUIFER

SECONDARY AQUIFER

Naturally poorquality groundwater

zone of drawdown

Sea water

Salinegroundwater

Good qualitygroundwater

N SCONCEPTUAL GEOHYDROLOGICAL CROSS SECTION

PRIMARY AQUIFER

SECONDARY AQUIFER

2km

Water Security Role: Cape Flats aquifer

Yield: ±18 million m³/annum.Aquifer transmissivity greatest in south-east of PHAAquifer requires testing as a potable sourceAquifer impacted negatively by horticulture but toxin levels ‘acceptable’.UNEPA study in 2006 concluded Cape Flats Aquifer can possibly supply TWO THIRDS of Cape Town’s drinking water supply.PHA farmers tap into aquifer for all year production.

Cape Flats Aquifer: Extent, Depth, Capacity & Quality

High Water Requirement Curve

Actual Water Requirement Curve

Low Water Requirement Curve with WC/WDM

4. Cape Flats Aquifer

Present & Future: Predicted demand & identified supply-side interventions

Surface water in the PHA

Generally low-lying area, due mainly to sand-mining (agreement) down to 1m above water table.Numerous large perennial wetlands & many seasonal wetlands

Role of the PHA currently in the City Metropolitan area

• Food security.• Water security.• Economic:

- Employment (farm labourers, packaging, sorting, selling).- Cut flowers.

• Mining:– Building sand supply.– High quality silica deposits (for glass manufacturing).

Food insecurity in Africa

Source: AFSUN_ African Urban Food Security Network_ Battersby

Food security in the Western Cape

Western Cape is a water scarce region: (hot dry summers & semi-desert hinterland)

Mediterranean climate not conducive to domestic vegetable gardening.Western Cape identified as a climate change ‘at risk’ area.Food security is about both production and access80% of population in CT’s poor households estimated to have food insecurity .

PHA’s Food Security Role

Philippi Horticultural Area has access to free water from the Cape Flats Aquifer.Very close to markets (most importantly for poor households)Produces over 50 different crops & 50% of City’s fresh vegetables.Produces 100 000 tonnes /year at value R150m /year ‘at farm gate’Productivity at R90 000/ha - for viticulture it is R18 000/haCan produce 2,5x (5x in South –West ) crops p.a. due to cool sea breezesClose to two WWTW & potentially more water sourcesContributes to nutritional needs of 2 to 3 000 employees (2.5kg / day)Transport cost break-point: Refrigeration required beyond 120kmUnique productive green lung.Agricultural land redistribution potential.Massive opportunity for production & employment increases (c.300%)Agri-processing and research opportunities: (UWC’s Elsenburg?)

MiningBuilding sand:

Deposits in Cape Town area will last for 20 yearsPHA the principal supplier, but remaining deposits limited to south-east areaMining permitted down to not lower than general surface level of surrounding area

Glass sand:

Silica sand underlies entire PHA , but only accessible near surface in centreNo comparable deposits anywhere in SAMajor deposit -15m deep & 315mill tons

Land surface rights:

Subject to Mineral & Petroleum Resources Development Act

Stakeholders in the PHA

• City of Cape Town (Mayor Patricia de Lille) and urban developers: 2 sites being contested-Rapicorp and MSP for rezoning.

• Phillipi Farmers and civic associations: spokesperson Nazeer Sonday.

• Communities in the Western Cape who are supplied with fresh produce from the PHA.

Urban edge

• Urban edge – ineffective monitoring causing problems.

• Illegal establishment of businesses in the urban edge over time.

• Rezoning of land in the urban edge is being considered from agricultural to mixed zoning, due to the changes that have been allowed by authorities through lack of monitoring in the urban edge.

Issues being contested by stakeholders

• Proposed moving of the urban edge (making the PHA smaller)- rezoning from horticulture to mixed.

• The best farming land is in the south of the PHA. This land is currently owned by developers and so it is not being farmed. Farmers want this land.

• Farmers in the north experience difficulties with farming (dry, limited water access, poor soil quality). They are keen to sell their land to developers and buy farming land in the south of the PHA.

Political vs. professionaldecision- making for areas like the PHA.

• Professional town planners and conservationists have a 100 year plan in place for the PHA and other areas in the City Metropolitan area.

• Each time a political party wins an election (potentially every few years) , there is pressure on the party to deliver on promises made in elections or to meet demands by communities in order to ensure continued support of the party.

• Lack of funding can prevent timeous provision of infrastructure and serviced sites to communities by municipalities (which are run by political parties).

• By allowing developers to build housing developments with the intrinsic infrastructure needed, some of the pressure on local municipalities to provide serviced sites and infrastructure is alleviated, so developers have leverage over politicians who benefit from the good press associated with infrastructure delivery.

1. The City’s response and way forward.

Lansdowne RoadIndustrial Area

WeltevredenWedge

RapicorpSite

MSP Site

Springfield Road

Jabula

Williston

Engen

Smallville

SiqualoEgoli

Jim se Bos

Schaapkraal

Increasing PHA Challenges identified by the City of Cape Town.

Speculation (MSP and Rapicorp sites)

Potential irrigation viability problems

Illegal development

Crime

Traffic congestion

Mixed press

Illegal dumping of solid waste

Policy Responses from the City of Cape Town.Cape Town Spatial Development FrameworkCape Flats District Plan

Latest Developments & Moving Ahead

Policy Responses from the City of Cape TownSchaapkraal Urban Edge & Development Guidelines Policy: draft

Latest Developments & Moving Ahead

City of Cape Town Policy ResponsesWeltevreden Wedge Urban Edge & Development Guidelines Policy: draft

Alternative land uses in the PHA

Potential urban infill & intensification areas

Area Size (ha) Land Available

Youngsfield Military Base

83 50%

Ottery 82 70%

Zeekoei Vlei sites 16 75%

Strandfontein East 76 80%

Pelican Park 160 70%

Strandfontein erf 1212*

67 70%

Strandfontein Coastal Node

65 75%

Alternative land uses in the PHA

Potential urban infill & intensification areasArea Size (ha) Land

Available

Lansdowne Road Industrial Area*

109 80%

Schaapkraal Smallholdings*

164 50%

Weltevreden Road ‘Wedge’*

207 60%

Rapicorp 472 70%

2. The Civic and farming associations viewpoints and solutions:

The Civic and farming organisations vision plan for the PHA.

The PHA Vision Plan

Creating a win-win solution through developing a bold community-driven spatial design plan!

The PHA Vision Plan

Local stakeholders:

• Schaapkraal Civic and Environmental Association

• Developing farmers Association

• Highlands Estate ratepayer Association

• PHA Sector Crime Forum • Commercial farmers • Philippi Horticulture Housing

Committee • Farmworkers ………..AND

Developing a shared vision for the future

The PHA Vision Plan• Soil for Life• Abhalimi Bezekaya• Makassa Food Growers• LOGRA Civic • Coalition for Environmental Justice • The Khayelitsha Development Forum • The Mitchell’s Plain Education Forum • The Ottery Ratepayers Association • Centre for African Studies • African Food Security Urban Network• CoCT PEPCO study, 2009• Philippi East Development Initiative• False Bay Ecology Park• WESSA • And growing….

Supporters and fan club

Read it and get with it…

1. PHA Task Team Study, 2009 _________ save the PHA! 2. PHA AFSUN Report, 2012 ___________ save the PHA! 3. PHA Synthesis Report, 2013 __________ save the PHA!

The reports and studies…………………………its unanimous!

Doing the democracy thing…• Strong and proactive community

based organisations ____ check! • Input on IDP’s _________ check! • On-going ward councillors

engagements __________check! • Input in CoCT Spatial development

framework, 2011 _____________________ check!

Schaapkraal Civic and Environmental Association- SCEA- meeting

Doing the democracy thing… • One day Subcouncil workshop on PHA

issues, 18 February 2012 __ ______________________ check!

• Subcouncil activity day, September 2012 _________________ check!

Councillors and council officials on a walk-about in the PHA

Doing the democracy thing…

• Meeting MEC Anton Bredell, September 2012 _____________ ____________check!

1. Escalation of PHA illegal dumping issues

2. Escalation of development planning issues

3. Prof Battersby presenting AFSUN PHA Report.

Doing the democracy thing…

1. Presenting PHA Vision Plan 2. Escalating PHA illegal

dumping issues. 3. Raising Housing issues for

informal settlement community.

Meeting the Executive Mayor Patricia De Lille _8 November 2012 ___ _____________ check!

But the threat remains…Rapicorp122 472ha Landgrab

• 16 October 2008 Rapicorp (marked in blue) makes an application to the city for the amendment of the Urban Structure Plan to allow a housing development.

• 12 May 2009 CoCT commission on “to plan for and manage the PHA into the future” recommends that the area be retained for farming.

• 26 November 2009 a full Council Meeting resolves not to amend the Urban Structure Plan as requested by Rapicorp and confirmed the “current and potential significant value of the PHA to the city’s food and water security” and for land reform.

But the threat remains…• 4. In May 2011 the Cape Town Special

Development Framework (SDF) was approved by Council in terms of the Municipal Systems Act, within which the ‘Rapicorp’ land was retained as part of the PHA.

• 5. March 2011 the MEC Anton Bredell approves the Cape Town SDF in terms of the Land Use Planning Ordinance (LUPO) but he unilaterally redraws the urban edge to exclude the future food growing capacity of the PHA- the ‘Rapicorp’ land.

• 16 July 2013 MAYCO announces it will support 300ha for urban development on farmlands where veggies are growing for MSP developers (marked in red).

• Please join our campaign• Talk to your councillor, talk to Zille and

President Zuma • Write a letter to the newspaper.• Talk to your local retail chain store manager. • Sign Save the PHA petition

• Contact us on:• Email: phaletters@gmail.com • Facebook: food & Farming for

the Cape Flats• nasonday@gmail.com

How you can help….

How can you become an activist for change?

• Talk to your school chommies, teachers, parents

• Start a school petition.• Sign and share the save the PHA AVAAZ

online petition. • Like our Facebook page;• Food & Farming for the Cape Flats

• Write to:• Mayor Patricia de Lille• Mayor.Mayor@capetown.gov.za

• Premier Helen Zille• premier@pgwc.gov.za

• Dear editor;• arglet@inl.co.za• ctletters@inl.co.za

Now you know the facts about the PHA, you decide!