Racecourse development poses threat to children

Angry Merebank residents gathered outside the Clairwoord Racecourse in protest against the Clairwood Logistics Park which is currently under development.

Many community leaders and parents believe that the new construction site will place their children in danger and increase road accidents due to the heavy duty trucks entering and leaving the area.

The protest was aimed at mobilising local residents to be aware of the harmful developments of the racecourse development that will bare negative impacts on their community. The protest brought out about 200 local residents who demonstrated their dissatisfaction with the Clairwood Logistics Park.

Bala Govender, a Merebank resident, said that the highlight of the march was when they were able to block off the Clairwood Racecourse entrance, stopping traffic from all angles.

“We were then allowed to demonstrate what would happen when an additional 2200 trucks would be like on our roads taking into consideration the current heavy traffic in that intersection. The protest was very successful in that many residents from Merebank came out in the numbers to display their feelings against pollution and trucking,” he said.

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Residents carried placards highlighting the challenges the community has been facing in regards to the recent development of the racecourse.

South Durban Community Environmental Association (SDCEA) co-ordinator, Desmond D’Sa said that the large amount of trucks will increase the amount of pollution towards the environmental and increase road accidents.

“We need our community to come together and join us in the fight against the up-coming site. My concern is that their are so many school in the Merebank with many of them who travel on a daily bases on the road and on foot. Our children are in grave danger and can be knocked down or even killed in an accident. It is up to us as parents, community leaders, spiritual leaders and community members to take ownership and responsible for our children and community,” he said.

A court case was held at the Durban High Court on Monday, where the South Durban Community Environmental Association (SDCEA) put before the judge their arguments to uphold the well-being, safety and quality of life for all residents. “We have a good case and we remain resolute that the outcome will be a successful one,”said D’Sa.

Fortress REIT Limited Development Manager, Nico Prinsloo, said the project would begin to ease the existing congestion and improve road safety by the end of 2018. Such pre-movements include pedestrian sidewalks and ramps at the nearby M4 were integral to approval being granted for the development of the Clairwood Logistics Park.

“The traffic expected to be generated during the morning and afternoon peak hours is a combined 1950 vehicles. This includes both light and heavy vehicles together. These figures were based on the latest trip generation rates for warehousing and distribution published by the eThekwini Transport Authority. As these are the morning and afternoon peak commuter periods where workers will be travelling to and from work mostly in light vehicles, it is estimated that the volume of heavy vehicles during these peak periods only is around 20 percent or 390 heavy vehicles two-way,” he said.