At a Special Council meeting held on Friday, 3 November 2023, Overstrand Municipality received permission to request and attend a meeting with Premier Winde and the relevant MEC’s to address urgent issues and specifically the one on the proposed Hermanus bypass.
During the meeting Overstrand Executive Mayor, Dr Annelie Rabie, emphasised once again that the Overstrand Council under her leadership rejected the bypass since they took office.
In the discussion point, Municipal Manager, Dean O’Neill stated that a revised version of the Amended Final Environmental Impact Report (AFEIR) has just been made available for public comment by SRK Consulting without any regard for the decision taken by Council that it is not in support of a by-pass in Hermanus.
In this version, the Provincial Government Western Cape: Department of Infrastructure (formerly the Department of Transport and Public Works) proposes to construct a bypass road ± 3km long to the north of The Hermanus Central Business District (CBD), abutting Mountain Drive, past the Hermanus Sports Complex and along Fairways Avenue in Eastcliff, Hermanus.
“The decision against the bypass taken by Council is supported by the affected communities in Hermanus and was taken as a result of the pronounced public outcry since the decision to consider a by-pass was made by the provincial government. “The stance of Council in this matter remains but it seems to have been dismissed by the relevant department with the latest application to amend the environmental authorisation. “Thus, there is a need for an urgent intervention with provincial government to address these issues, and specifically the one on the by-pass”.
The Mayor encouraged residents to comment on the revised version of the AFEIR. “This is an opportunity to make your voices heard once again, and finally put this matter to rest in support of the Council decision that the bypass is not supported,” she said.
The Revised Amended Final EIA Report and executive summary can be accessed on SRK’s website, at https://www.srk.com/en/public-documents/hermanus-cbd-bypass-eia-). Hardcopies are also available at libraries in Greater Hermanus.
Comments can be submitted via the following online form: (https://forms.office.com/r/yLqwZsiwwK) by email to Asheerah Meyer of SRK Consulting at ctpp@srk.co.za. Comments must reach SRK by 22 November 2023.
