1

DRAKENSTEIN STATE OF ENVIRONMENT REPORT

POPULAR VERSION

December 2005

ENVIRONMENTAL EVALUATION UNIT

UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN PRIVATE BAG RONDEBOSCH

7701

2

Background information to the State of the Environment Report

State of the Environment (SoE) Reporting is an internationally accepted method of describing the state of our environment. Several South African cities have produced SoE reports, like Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, Pretoria and Midrand. In concern for the physical environment, health and well-being of its people, the Drakenstein Municipality decided to follow suite. This SoE report must be seen as the first step in the development of a broader environmental strategy for the Municipality and a platform for the implementation of the Local Agenda 21 mandate for sustainable development at local level. The Drakenstein Municipality appointed the Environmental Evaluation Unit of the University of Cape Town, to assist them in compiling the first SoE for the Drakenstein Municipal Area. In November 2002, the Environmental Evaluation Unit and Amathemba Environmental Management Consulting presented the Drakenstein Municipality with a guide to producing a State of the Environment Report for local authorities. The actual SoE process started in March 2004 when several public participation meetings were held to give interested and affected parties the opportunity to identify issues they would like to see included in the SoE report. Public meetings were held on the following dates:

Date Venue Monday 8 March 2004 Ronwe Primary School, Lustigan Road, Paarl at 19h00 Tuesday 9 March 2004 Paarl Town Hall, Banqueting Hall at 19h00 Thursday 11 March 2004 Huguenot Community Hall, Paarl at 19h00 Tuesday 16 March 2004 Wellington Town Hall at 19h00 Thursday 18 March 2004 Gouda Sport Ground Hall at 19h30 Tuesday 23 March 2004 Mbekweni Community Hall at 19h00 Thursday 25 March 2004 Saron Uniting Reformed Church Hall at 19h30 Indicators were developed followed by an intense data collection period and wide consultation. A draft SoE report was compiled and was made available for public comment in June 2005. Due to the enormous amount of information in the full version of the SoE report, a popular version was compiled in order to make the information widely accessible. This document, the popular version, is therefore a summarized and simple version of the full SoE report. Detailed information and statistics on specific indicators are available in the full version of the SoE report available in Libraries and at the Civil Engineering Services Department of the Drakenstein Municipality, Paarl. The value of the SoE lies in the fact that it (i) informs decision-making; (ii) helps us to assess whether our management responses to environmental issues are effective and in line with environmental management objectives; and (iii) informs the politicians, decision-makers, public and interested and affected parties of fundamental environmental issues in a simple and accessible manner. Therefore, you are urged to put this document to good use. It was designed to assist in addressing root causes of our problems instead of just treating the symptoms. This process intends to facilitate a more proactive approach in solving environmental issues than the current reactive and shortsighted nature of our management solutions. It is designed to help us think about the long-term impacts of our present actions and decisions. All contributions and assistance to the development of this report made by interested and affected parties, municipal officials, various organisations and the public is gratefully acknowledged.

3

Table of Contents Page

1. Introduction

1.1 What is the State of the Environment? 4

1.2 The structure of the SoE report 4

1.3 Why is State of Environment Reporting important? 6

1.4 Compilation of the SoE 7

1.5 Sources and use of information given in the SoE report 7

1.6 Ongoing SoE reporting and monitoring of environmental change 8

1.7 Summary table of key actions, monitoring and reporting

recommendations 9

2. Introduction to the Drakenstein Municipality 12

THEMES: Air Quality, Noise and Odour 15

Water 17

Biodiversity and Protected Areas 20

Economy 23

Urbanisation, Urban Form and Housing 25

Municipal Parks and Recreation 28

Waste Services 30

Water Services 32

Energy 34

Transport 36

Health 38

Education 41

Safety and Security 43

Cultural Heritage 45

Environmental Governance 47

4

1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 What is a State of Environment Report? The main purpose of a state of environment (SoE) report is to summarize the current state of the natural and social environments. The information contained in a SoE report enables us to understand how our environment is changing, for example, are the trends showing that environmental conditions are getting better or worse? A SoE report highlights what effects people are having on our environment. This information can then be used to identify what actions need to be implemented to improve the condition or status of the environment. The SoE report identifies indicators that help us in measuring/monitoring whether the state of the environment is improving or getting worse. The indicators help to illustrate whether our actions or responses to environmental change are resulting in improved conditions. State of Environment reports provide information to helps us to make better decisions about how we should be living in and managing our environment. The word ‘environment’ can have a broad meaning. The National Environmental Management Act (NEMA) Act No. 107 of 1998 defines the ‘environment” as: “the surroundings within which humans exist…that are made up of the land, water and atmosphere of the earth; micro-organisms, plant and animal life; any…interrelationships among and between them and the physical, chemical, aesthetic and cultural properties and conditions that influence human health and well-being.” A SoE report typically includes information on: • The condition of the environment and natural resources, including information on

environmental issues and trends in environmental quality. • The causes of environmental change. • The impacts on the environment. • What authorities and individuals are doing to improve environmental conditions, whether

actions are effective and what more could be done.

The three fundamental characteristics of a SoE report are: • To analyse and present environmental information that can be used to assist planning and management. • To show changes in environmental conditions over

time and space. • To show the linkages between biophysical and

socio-economic functions within the context of sustainable development.

1.2 The structure of the SoE report This SoE uses the ‘DPSIR’ reporting system that descriterms of the following categories: Driving forces These are usually underlying social an

to environmental change. Population gindustrial production are common exam

Pressures These are pressures on the environmforces, for examples: pollution of air, production; or depletion of fish stocks th

State This section describes the current srecent trends in environmental quali

Impacts These are the consequences of the preexamples: reductions in biodiversity, health, and lack of clean, safe water.

What is Sustainable Development? Sustainable development refers to development that aims for equity within and between generations; and adopts an approach wherethe economic, social and environmental aspects of development are considered in a holistic fashion.

bes environmental issues in

d economic activities that lead rowth, poverty, agriculture and ples. ent that result from the driving water and soil from industrial rough human consumption. tate of the environment and ty. ssures on the environment, for soil degradation, poor human

5

Response This section describes the human responses to environmental change, including policies and management strategies to reduce environmental damage, rehabilitate damaged environments, and encourage sustainable development.

An example of the reporting system is illustrated in the diagram below using the theme of fresh water resources.

The state of the environment is described using environmental indicators. Indicators are specific measurements or records that are taken to assess and monitor environmental conditions. Indicators are used to present large amounts of detailed information in a format that is easy to understand. For example, if one wants to measure water quality (e.g. how fit the water is for drinking), one could measure the amount of substances it contains that are not good for human health. If measured over time, we would know whether the water quality is improving or getting worse. Likewise, measurements from two different areas will tell us whether the water in one river is being managed better than the other. Indicators are also useful for bench-marking environmental performance An environmental indicator should: • Provide a representative picture of environmental conditions, pressures on the

environment or society’s response; • Be simple, easy to interpret and able to show trends over time; • Be responsive to changes in the environment and relate to human activities; • Have a target or threshold against which to compare it so that users are able to assess

the significance of the values associated with it; • Be theoretically well founded in technical and scientific terms; • Be based on international standards and international consensus about its validity; and • Lend itself to linkage with economic models, forecasting and information systems.

6

The use of the DPSIR framework in the Drakenstein SoE report In the Drakenstein SoE report, the DPSIR framework has been used but slightly restructured. Each of the 15 themes (or issues) covered in the SoE report starts with a brief overview of the theme. This is followed by a section which identifies the key driving forces and pressures that bring about the various impacts. The state of the environment is then described, using a variety of indicators. The responses needed and/or currently underway are noted in a table which also gives an indication of the priority assigned to the issue to be addressed. Two additional sections added to the Drakenstein SoE report are: a list of the key legislation relevant to the theme under discussion, and a section which identifies any key information gaps. These are highlighted so that the municipality can decide whether they wish to address these information gaps. Each section is completed with a reference list of documents and sources of information used in that section. As information has been gathered from a wide variety of places, the location of the documents internal to or belonging to the municipality has been specified. This has been done in order to help people seeking more detailed information to source the relevant documents. 1.3 Why is State of Environment Reporting important? What is Agenda 21?

Agenda 21 was developed at the 1992 UN Conference on the Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro. It is a non-binding document outlining a programme of action to achieve sustainable development through the balanced management of social, economic and ecological systems. It provides a global blueprint on how sustainable development should be implemented.

The need for SoE reporting is guided by the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA),which says that people have the right to information about the state of the environment. Agenda 21 (Chapter 40) recommends regular SoE reports and more easily available information on the environment. There is a need for decision makers to have access to good quality, relevant and up-to-date information on the environment to assist them in decision-making. A SoE is a means of sharing information and allows for public participation, both of which are vital parts of developing an environmental management policy. Benefits of a SoE Report include: • To provide an early warning system for emerging environmental problems. • To identify knowledge and information deficiencies impeding the understanding and

interpretation of environmental conditions and trends. • To contribute to the evaluation of societal responses to environmental issues through

policy and programme performance assessment and • To encourage the incorporation of environmental considerations in the development of

economic and social policies. Although the report covers the most important local environmental issues, it cannot give us the ‘answers’ to all environmental ‘problems’. Rather it helps to improve our understanding of the issues and pressures shaping our environment.

7

1.4 Compilation of the SoE Report The Drakenstein Municipality requested the Environmental Evaluation Unit and Amathemba Environmental Management Consulting to assist them in compiling a State of Environment Report for the municipal area. The process of gathering information for the SoE report started in March 2004 when a series of public consultation meetings were held. The main purposes of these meetings were to alert the public to the initiation of the SoE report compilation process and request the public to help identify key issues or environmental problems they wished to see included in the SoE report. Meetings were held in Paarl, Wellington, Ronwe, Saron and Gouda. Participants at the meetings contributed useful information, which assisted the consultants to determine which issues to cover in the SoE report. The key issues identified by the members of the public are listed in Appendix 1. Following the meetings with the public, the consultants started to gather the information necessary to compile the SoE report. The municipality appointed an intern to assist the consultants in this process as much of the information had to be extracted from a wide variety of sources within the municipality. (Further information on the information component of the SoE is given below). As information was obtained, the relevant sections of the SoE were written up and checked with the key persons within the municipality. A draft SoE report was compiled and formed the basis for a feedback session to the public. This feedback was in the form of an Open Day, held on 3 June 2005. Although the attendance was not high, the participation and questions from school children in particular showed a high level of awareness and concern about the environment, which was very rewarding. The draft SoE report has been made available for public comment, after which it will be finalized. 1.5 Sources and use of information given in the SoE report The SoE report has made use of a wide variety of internal (municipal) and external sources of information. Most of the information is secondary information i.e. primary data collection was limited. However, two surveys were undertaken specifically for the SoE report, namely a survey of the status of health clinics, and a brief survey of the schools, focusing on infrastructure. These two surveys provided primary data for the SoE report. A third survey that was undertaken, namely on the status of the Berg river, utilized a large amount of secondary data, but this was evaluated and interpreted to provide key insights into the state of the Berg river, particularly those sections that run through the municipality. The results of the surveys have been summarized in the health, education and water resource sections of the SoE report respectively. The details of the health and education surveys can be obtained from the Civil Engineering Department at the municipality. The results of the Berg river survey are contained in Appendix 2 of this SoE report. The consultants and municipality have used information from a wide variety of sources, most of which should be reliable. Wherever possible, inconsistencies have been addressed. However, the complete accuracy of the data cannot be guaranteed and therefore, should users of this report require information which requires a high level of precision, then it is recommended that they cross check and / or supplement the information from the appropriate sources. The sources of information have been referenced in each section of the report. The information gathered has however been sufficient to indicate the general status of the environment, and in some cases the changes taking place over time. As this is the first SoE report undertaken by the Drakenstein municipality, the information supplied will help to inform collection of information for subsequent SoE reports. Most SoE reports are based on a single year’s data. If SoE reports are compiled on an annual basis, then comparisons can be made between the data gathered every year. However, in the Drakenstein SoE, data from several years has been used so that where possible, the changes over time could be shown. The SoE report is thus not applicable to a single year, but rather a period. Most of the data is for the years 2000 – 2004 although some data from 1996 and 1998 (e.g. 1996 census data) has been used occasionally for comparative purposes. This SoE report is therefore to be referred to as a SoE report for the period 2000 – 2004.

8

1.6 Ongoing SoE reporting and monitoring of environmental change One of the main purposes of SoE reports is to monitor environmental change. By seeing the nature of the change, it becomes possible to determine whether the actions (or responses) we are taking are effective in managing any negative (or positive) outcomes of the change. Some changes will happen relatively quickly (e.g. restoration of indigenous vegetation after alien clearing) whereas others will take several years to manifest themselves (e.g impacts associated with over abstraction of ground water). It is likely therefore that the municipality will need to report on these changes at different intervals. In this SoE, key issues needing attention have been highlighted in a response table at the end of each section (or theme) of the report. The key actions are summarized in the table below. The table shows that it should be possible to report progress on achieving most of the key actions on an annual basis. It is therefore recommended that this SoE progress report be integrated into the Drakenstein Annual report. Should some particular aspects (or themes) of the SoE be considered to be worth more detailed attention, then individual reports on these aspects could be compiled. In reporting on progress with achieving the key actions, not only progress should be noted, but also what remains to be done. In other words, each year, specific action items (or targets) should be noted for addressing in the following year. Each of the action items given below has several steps or subcomponents (i.e. they do not represent a single action). In addition, there may be additional actions which the municipality wish to undertake which have not been captured in the key action summary table (for example, they may wish to gather some of the missing information noted in the report via specially commissioned studies or even student projects). It is therefore recommended that the municipality develop a reporting template. Each of the key actions summarized in the table below could be divided into its constituent parts or actions, together with responsibility and timing. Care must be taken to not set unreasonable targets or otherwise the monitoring and reporting on progress will not be undertaken. An additional task to be undertaken every year, is to critically analyse which of the indicators and which of the key actions being taken are proving effective at providing information for the next SOE report, and in bringing about the desired changes respectively. As targets are achieved, it should be possible to remove some of the action items. In other cases, new actions will be identified, or a requirement to change the approach to addressing certain problems may be identified. The ongoing monitoring and reporting process should thus be a dynamic and responsive one that is relevant to the Drakenstein environment.

9

SUMMARY TABLE OF KEY ACTIONS,

MONITORING AND REPORTING RECOMMENDATIONS FOR DRAKENSTEIN SOE REPORTING

KEY ACTIONS MONITOR REPORTING

FREQUENCYTheme 1: Air Quality and noise and odour pollution 1.1 Assign an accountable person to address air quality, noise and odour and inform key authorities and public

1.2 Undertake an emissions inventory Outsource : report on progress

Annual

1.3 Establish a complaints process and register. Record full details of circumstances at time of event triggering complaint

Progress Annual

1.4 Establish working relationship with Provincial and National government and other municipalities and business

Progress Annual

1.5 Develop Air Quality Management Plan and link it to the IDP

Progress

Theme 2: Water resources and quality 2.1 Continue to implement actions to reduce water demand, water losses and unaccounted for water.

Progress Annual

2.2 Communicate increasing SAR figures to Dept of Agriculture and water quality survey results to Dept of Water Affairs and Forestry.

N/A Once off

2.3 Continue with and accelerate sewage and sanitation improvements

Progress, as well as number of events (and/or volume) of undesired release of untreated effluent.

Annual

2.4 Increase frequency of water quality monitoring Progress Annual 2.5 Develop sludge disposal plan for Paarl and Wellington Progress Annual 2.6 Increase law enforcement capacity and increase awareness of pollution impacts and participation in clean up campaigns

Progress Annual

Theme 3: Biodiversity 3.1 Implement Paarl Management Plan actions Progress (set up

means to monitor against targets)

Annual

3.2 Incorporate GIS biodiversity information into land use decision making

Progress Annual

3.3 Prepare database to log decisions affecting priority biodiversity land

Progress (and rate of priority biodiversity habitat loss)

Annual

3.4 Coordinate and cooperate with relevant authorities to map, prioritise and assist with alien vegetation clearing actions

Progress (e.g hectares of alien vegetation cleared annually)

Theme 4: Economy 4.1 Determine which key poverty relief and economic stimulus actions suggested in IDP and LED to implement and then monitor.

Monitor achievements relative to selected IDP and LED

Annual. (Those indicators only captured through the

10

recommendations census, can be reported on about a year after each census when data becomes available)

Theme 5: Urbanisation 5.1 Through heritage survey, identify heritage resources most under threat from urbanization and undertake action necessary to prevent loss

Progress + No or area of heritage resources lost due to urbanization

Annual or every 2 years

5.2 Calculate and map area of informal settlement and carry out informal housing survey(s)

Progress Annual (surveys less frequent)

5.3 Continue with People Housing Projects (PHP) Progress e.g. no. of PHP units completed annually

Annual

5.4 Finalization and implementation of Housing Plan and prioritization model for housing

Progress Annual. Indicators informed by census data (e.g. population growth) reported on post census

5.5 Completion of the Urban Edge Study Progress + no. and nature of infringements

Annual

5.6 Finalisation of the land audit and identification of land to use for emergency housing

Progress Annual

5.7 Completion of densification study Progress Annual 5.8 Establishment of Housing Development Fund Progress Annual 5.9 Research into creation of quality living environments Progress Annual 5.10 Initiation of urban improvement projects Progress Annual Theme 6: Parks and Recreation 6.1 Increase security of parks and sports grounds Progress Annual 6.2 Increase number of sports facilities, including swimming pools

Progress Every 2 – 3 years

Theme 7: Water services 7.1 Improvement of water supply to 2 schools Progress Annual 7.2 Improvement of sewage works Progress Annual 7.3 Improvement of water infrastructure Progress Annual 7.4 Appointment of additional drainage inspectors Progress Annual 7.5 Improvement of sanitation in informal settlements Progress Annual Theme 8: Waste services 8.1 Completion and implementation of Waste management plan

Progress Annual

8.2 Implementation of actions to reduce illegal dumping Progress Annual 8.3 Improvement in supply of bins and skips Progress

(reduction in no. of households without services)

Annual

8.4 Awareness raising re impacts associated with illegal Progress Annual

11

dumping and setting up a reporting system for ‘whistle blowers’. 8.5 Improvement of data collection on waste volumes and type to determine land fill life and potential for increasing recycling and reducing volumes.

Progress Annual

8.6 Upgrading of transfer stations Progress Annual 8.7 Improvement of middle management capacity Progress Annual 8.9 Determination of means to monitor hazardous waste generation and control

Progress Annual

8.10 Gathering of information on waste disposal in rural areas with a view to reducing impact in sensitive areas

Progress Annual

Theme 9: Energy 9.1 Record rate and quality of response to requests and complaints

Progress Annual

9.2 Upgrade and maintain electricity network Progress Annual 9.3 Investigation into and introduction of demand side management and most effective means to maximize energy efficiency

Progress Annual

9.4 Continue to provide electricity to all legal structures Progress. Annual – census data derived indicators post census

Theme 10: Transport 10.1 Initiate actions to improve safety and reliability of public transport

Progress Annual

10.2 Raise awareness of need for road safety – particularly pedestrian safety

Progress Annual

10.3 Improve control of taxi industry (permits, overloading etc)

Progress Annual

10.4 Appointment of consultant to carry out public transport study, including rural areas where need has been indicated

Progress Annual

10.5 Incorporate and improve bicycle and pedestrian pathways in urban areas as part of urban renewal process

Progress Annual

10.6 Address major backlogs in maintenance and resealing of roads and provision of speed-bumps and pedestrian crossings

Progress Annual

10.7 Enforce truck driver compliance to heavy vehicle routes

Progress Annual

Theme 11: Health 11.1 Upgrade/improve facilities at Paarl hospital Progress Annual 11.2 Address problems at clinics (staff, medication, frequency of mobile clinic visits to rural areas)

Progress Annual

11.3 Improve systems for collection of key data (e.g infant mortality rate)

11.4 Maximise initiatives to assist people to comply to TG treatment schedule

Progress Annual

11.5 Obtain findings from Radon research and determine implications for land use planning, urban design and location of informal settlements.

Progress Annual

11.6 Give support to community and other initiatives which promote home based care and counseling (HIV/AIDS and TB)

Progress Annual

11.7 Create capacity for the implementation of the Food and Nutrient Program (Dept of Land Affairs)

Progress Annual

Theme 12: Education 12.1 Determine means to give those schools which do not have access to sports facilities, the necessary access

Progress Annual

12

12.2 Maximise support for preschool and daycare facilities Progress Annual 12.3 Ensure that good quality water is provided at the 2 schools where problems were being encountered

Progress Annual

Theme 13: Safety and Security 13.1 Appointment of municipal law enforcement officers and the installment of lights in areas where requested

Progress Annual

Theme 14: Cultural Heritage 14.1 Comprehensive Heritage Resources Survey Progress Annual 14.2 Commenting on and contributing to Heritage Impact Assessments when required

Progress Annual

Theme 15: Environmental Governance 15.1 Establishment of full environmental section within municipality

Progress Annual

15.2 Improved enforcement of legislation Progress Annual

2. Introduction to the Drakenstein Municipality The municipality forms part of the Boland District Municipality, which includes the following Category B Municipalities: • Stellenbosch • Drakenstein • Breede Valley • Witzenberg • Breede River/Winelands.

13

The Drakenstein Municipality was legally constituted in ecember 2000 and incorporates the following areas: • Paarl, including Mbekweni; • Wellington; • Gouda; • Saron; and • the rural areas adjacent to and between these town The municipal area was named in October 1687 in honour of the High Commissioner, Hendrik Andriaan van Rheede tot Drakenstein, who had visited the Cape two years previously. The Drakenstein municipality is located in the Western Cape, approximately 125 kilometers from Cape Town in a north easterly direction. The municipality covers approximately 1,538 square kilometers, stretching from just south of the N1 freeway including Simondium in the south up to and including Saron in the north. The Klein Drakenstein, Limiet and Saron mountain ranges form the eastern edge, while the agricultural areas to the immediate west of the R45 form the western boundary. Paarl and Wellington are the main urban centers in theproximity to the N1. The smaller rural settlements ofnorth with Hermon in the mid-west. The Berg River trato north. To the west of Paarl lies the distinctive Paarl The Drakenstein municipality plays a strategic roCape, and is the second largest municipality, aftersignificant contribution to the provincial GGP. Ysocio-economic statistics highlight the poverty andwealth. Like many of the South African municipaproblems that have persisted from the Apartheidincome and assets among white and non-white So Agriculture and manufacturing are the largest eCensus there are approximately 209 674 people liv The managers of the Drakenstein Municipality hawith both rural and urban issues, which at timesanother. Further challenges lie in the fact that theresources namely the indigenous natural vegetathese are under threat from a variety of activities a (For further information on the municipality, pleaseeconomy sections of the SoE report).

D

s.

municipality and are located in close Saron and Gouda are located in the verses the municipal area from south

Mountain - a granite pluton.

le in the economy of the Western the City of Cape Town. It makes a et, despite its relative wealth, the deprivation that exists amidst the lities, Drakenstein has to address era – the extreme inequality in uth Africans.

mployers. According to the 2001 ing in the municipality.

ve the challenge of having to deal can be in direct conflict with one municipality has important natural tion and the Berg River. Both of nd need careful management.

refer to the urbanization and

14

THEMES

15

AIR QUALITY, NOISE AND ODOUR According to South Africa’s Constitution, “everyone has the right to an environment that is not harmful to their health or well-being”. The Drakenstein Municipality must therefore ensure that air quality, noise and odour will not compromise the health or well-being of its people. A decline in air quality, coupled with rising levels of noise and odour, may occur as a ‘side effect’ of economic growth and development. Employment opportunities created by a thriving economy typically lead to an increase in population as people move to the area in search of work. Meeting the associated demand for housing and transport may result in more noise from construction activities and traffic volume, as well as air pollution from vehicle exhausts. In informal settlements, smoke from fires used for warmth and cooking contributes to air pollution, while inadequate waste disposal often causes bad odours. Some industrial and agricultural activities also generate air pollution, noise and odour. In September 2004, the National Assembly approved new leIts implementation will probably be phased in over time, Municipality will be legally obliged to implement the legislation The current state

• There is a general lack of knowledge about air qualiArea, as little monitoring is being conducted. Sourcesothers, industrial smokestacks, homefires for warmdisposal of garden and household waste, emissions frand landfills, controlled burns for agricultural and consexhausts.

• Complaints relating to noise pollution are inadequ

confusion in interpreting the relevant laws, and laofficials’ areas of responsibility.

• Incidents of air, noise and odour pollution are not re

data management and reporting need to be improve

Homefires for warmth and cooking is common in informal settlement and contributes significantly to the air pollution problem.

A smoky haze over thethe accumulation of hatmosphere. Rapid urwhich is associated development, invariablywith high levels of noise

gislation relating to air quality. but in future the Drakenstein within its jurisdiction.

ty in the Drakenstein Municipal of air pollution include, among th and cooking, bonfires for

om waste-disposal incinerators ervation purposes, and vehicle

ately addressed, as there is ck of clarity about municipal

corded in sufficient detail, and d.

Paarl Valley is often the result of igh levels of emissions into the banisation and industrialisation,

with economic growth and results in air pollution, coupled and odour.

16

Responses and recommendations

• It is recommended that a desktop emissions inventory be undertaken to identify sources of air pollution within the Drakenstein Municipal Area, following which a monitoring programme should be initiated. Once at least a year’s data has been collected, air-dispersion modelling should be conducted to calculate ambient air concentrations and deposition levels of pollutants.

• In order to meet the requirements of the new air quality legislation, an Air Quality

Management Plan should be formulated for the Drakenstein Municipal Area, and absorbed into the Integrated Development Plan. Data collection and management for monitoring purposes will have to be upgraded, and stricter standards and by-laws relating to air and noise pollution enforced.

• Procedures should be drafted for dealing with complaints about air and noise

pollution, and record-keeping and reporting should be improved. Communication between municipal departments should be encouraged, and areas of responsibility clarified.

• Efforts should be made to raise the awareness of the local business community

about air, noise and odour pollution. A working relationship should be established with air-quality management roleplayers in other municipalities, as well as in provincial and national government departments, to facilitate information exchange.

• Data should be collected to identify and quantify residential sources of energy, such

as electricity, wood, paraffin or coal. Energy use by the Drakenstein Municipality – for example, on street-lighting – should also be audited.

17

WATER Water is a valuable resource in South Africa, where low rainfall and high evaporation rates mean that the levels of rivers and dams cannot be maintained all year round. However, there is increasing demand for water from our growing population and its wide range of economic activities. Such intense pressure tends to result in depletion of water sources, and their degradation due to pollution. The establishment of informal areas without access to basic services has contributed to the pollution problem of the water sources. All legal households get the same standard of water in terms of government policy and the access to water has been addressed and distributed more equitably over the years as well. Only the illegal informal settlements receive minimum service in terms of government policy.

Industrial and agricultural activities place additional strain on the resource, as they use vast quantities of water and discharge pollutants, which may reduce surface and groundwater quality and impact aquatic ecosystems. Effluent and runoff containing high levels of nitrogen and phosphorus, as found in detergents, fertilizers and organic waste, typically causes nutrient enrichment – called eutrophication – that results in excessive growth of aquatic plants, especially nuisance algae and water hyacinth. The Drakenstein Municipality falls within a winter rainfall region, where river flow is highly variable. The Berg River frequently floods during winter - inundating low-lying areas of farmland - but low flows are typical during the hot, dry summer months. The current state

• The Drakenstein Municipality receives more than 90% of its water from the Wemmershoek and Voelvlei Dams, operated by the City of Cape Town. This water is generally of a high quality. Paarl’s remaining needs are met by runoff collected in the Nantes and Bethel Dams on Paarl Mountain, together with water pumped from the Berg River to the Paarl Mountain water treatment plant, which is being upgraded to improve water quality. Saron relies on an earth dam to supply drinking and irrigation water, but this is insufficient to meet current needs. There are 24 reservoirs in the Drakenstein urban areas - 14 in Paarl, 6 at Wellington, 2 at Saron and one each in Gouda, Hermon, Bainskloof and Pearl Valley.

• A recent study on the Berg River system in the

revealed that the system is highly polluted and signistate. The only part that is still in a near-pristine stateVier-en-Twintig River. Alien vegetation infestation athe ecological integrity of most of the tributaries, reduced water quality and natural habitat in the Berg tributaries. In the Klein Berg and Vier-en-Twintig Rialtered by diversion weirs.

Drakeficantly is the

nd agricwhile uRiver anvers, flo

nstein Municipal Area altered from its natural upper catchment of the ultural activities impair rban development has d lower reaches of the w patterns have been

Berg River System

Wemmershoek Dam

Voelvlei Dam

18

• Water quality problems are the cumulative effect of pollutants from a variety of sources, including nutrient enrichment resulting from runoff from farmlands and golf courses, and discharge of treated sewage effluent, pollutants from water runoff in informal settlements next to water sources, rivers and storm water runoff. The contribution of toxic pollutants from sources such as crop sprays, cattle dips and industrial effluent is currently unknown.

• The various Waste Water Treatment Work

Wellington, Pearl Valley Golf Estate, DrakenstGouda and Saron – discharge effluent thameets the required standard in terms ofcounts. Nevertheless, there is significacontamination of the Berg River, which can beto stormwater runoff from informal settlemePaarl-Wellington area, and periodic overflowpump station at the Wellington Water TreatmThis poses a health risk for direct-contact such as swimming and canoeing.

• There is also a health risk associated with th

sewage-contaminated water. In addition, pHsouth and north of Paarl, and the Leeu River mWater in the Kompanjies River sometimesincreasing sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) valuindicate that soil salinisation may become a pr

• Communities of aquatic invertebrates in th

impacted through pollution and other disturbaare below the recommended level of 80% satucollected from the river in the Wellington area.

Responses and recommendations

• The Drakenstein Municipality intends reducisources by, for example, upgrading the Anconstruction of a proper water treatment plantPaarl Mountain supply area.

• The Drakenstein Municipality is aiming for a

1999/2000 consumption by 2005. This is larginstalling pressure control valves and flow cotoilets, and raising public awareness about thlosses have already decreased by 60% duringrepresented just under 13% of the total supply

• Pollution-awareness initiatives already taking

Area include Water Week exhibitions and rivschools and NGOs. However, farmworkers nrisks associated with pesticide contaminationwater sources. It is also recommended that thpesticide contamination survey and establish a

Pollution from water runoff in informal settlements into rivers and storm water results in water quality problems.

s - Paarl, ein Prison, t generally bacterial nt faecal attributed nts in the s from the ent Works. recreation,

e irrigation values haay now be

exceeds es on the

oblem in fu

e Berg Rivnces. Dissoration for a

ng its depetoniesvlei s will improv

20% reduely being antrollers, ree need for the past f

.

place in er clean-upeed to be of farm de Drakenste suitable m

of agricultural crops using ve been increasing to the too acidic for irrigation use. conductivity targets, while

Klein Berg River in summer ture.

er have been significantly lved oxygen concentrations large proportion of samples

ndence on external water cheme at Wellington. The e the quality of water in the

ction in water demand on chieved by repairing leaks, trofitting with water-efficient water conservation. Water ew years, and in 2003/2004

the Drakenstein Municipal campaigns undertaken by made aware of the health

ams and other unprotected in Municipality undertake a

onitoring programme.

19

• Adequate sanitation should be provided for people living in informal settlements as a matter of urgency, to reduce faecal contamination of the Berg River system. Bacteriological data should be collected fortnightly at some of the sampling sites to improve data analysis and identify problem areas, and additional sampling sites should be established where stormwater drains are known to discharge highly polluted water into the Berg River.

• It is recommended that the management actions outlined in the State of Rivers report

for the Berg River system be implemented. These include, among others, collecting water chemistry data fortnightly, rather than monthly, to highlight trends and specific impacts, and using the South African Scoring Sites (SASS5) method of collecting data on aquatic invertebrates at long-term sampling sites at least once every autumn, spring and summer.

20

BIODIVERSITY AND PROTECTED AREAS The Drakenstein Municipal Area falls within the Cape Floristic Region, recently declared a World Heritage Site in recognition of its rich biodiversity. Confined to the south-western tip of the African continent, it is the smallest of the world’s six floral kingdoms, but has the highest concentration of plant species – approximately 8 000 in a 90 000 km2 area. Of these species, about 70% are endemic, which means they are found nowhere else on Earth. Many of them are threatened, however, so the region is considered a globally important biodiversity ‘hotspot’, in dire need of protection.

ABOVE LEFT: The Drakenstein Municipal Area falls within the Cape Floristic Region (displayed in gold and numbered 8) in the Western Cape. ABOVE RIGHT: This graph compares the number of endemic plant species per province. The Western Cape indisputably has the highest concentration of endemic plant species. A significant amount of these plant species are critically threatened and in need of protection.

Protecting biodiversity is not only important from a conservation point of view though. Economic growth and development is promoted by biodiversity, because many species of plants and animals provide a support base for agriculture, fishing, tourism and traditional medicine. Maintaining a healthy biodiversity is also essential in safeguarding ecosystem services, such as water provision, erosion control, crop pollination, and carbon storage to offset global warming. Unfortunately, population growth and rapid development typically result in changes in land-use, overutilisation of natural resources, pollution and the spread of invasive alien species, all of which contribute to the loss of biodiversity. Indeed, the Drakenstein Spatial Development Framework highlighted low-density, upmarket housing and agricultural development on areas of conservation value as two pressures causing loss of biodiversity within the Drakenstein Municipal Area. The current state • In 2004, the South African National Biodiversity Institute completed the

country’s first national assessment of biodiversity. This revealed that the Drakenstein Municipal Area includes a particularly high number of threatened ecosystems. Six of the 21 critically endangered vegetation types countrywide occur here, as well as three that are endangered!

• Biodiversity priority areas – essentially all remaining natural habitat

in the Drakenstein Municipal Area with ‘critically endangered’ or ‘endangered’ status, together with wetlands and other special habitats – have been identified and mapped. The total priority area amounts to 26 022 hectares.

21

• Protected areas within the Drakenstein Municipal Area are making a significant contribution to biodiversity conservation. Of the 26 022 hectares of biodiversity priority, 15 747 hectares is formally protected within four provincial nature reserves, three mountain catchment areas and one local authority nature reserve.

• The Paarl Mountain Nature Reserve became a

local authority nature reserve when it was declared a national monument in 1963. It is particularly special because of the variety of plant communities found in a comparatively small area. It has great educational value as it effectively demonstrates how changing habitat conditions influence the distribution of different plant types.

• The four provincial nature reserves – Limietbe

Waterval, the Geometric Tortoise Nature Reservemountain catchment areas - Hottentots-Hollandeffective at conserving mountain fynbos communisupply. They act as a giant sponge, soaking up wslowly releasing it into streams that feed the Breedesouth-western Cape’s urban and agricultural areas.

• Although mountain fyn

vegetation of the lowlanFor example, renosterlow-lying regions that arareas have been convgrazing pastures. Todayless than 3% of its origiisolated fragments. Lessthe rest falling underemaining fragment of Municipal Area is founReserve.

LEFT: The single biggest pressand in the Drakenstein Municip

• Invasive alien species are a threat to biodiversityspecies through competition, and alter vital ecosyand seed dispersal. Dense stands of invasive vegwater, and increase the intensity of fire. The total Municipal Area is unknown, but the State of Rivegives an indication of levels of infestation in sections

Responses and recommendations

• During 2004, an environmental management po– and a Management Strategy - setting oudeliverables and indicators - was compiled for this recommended that the education componimplemented in the near future.

• Initiatives are underway to clear alien vegetatio

Drakenstein Municipal Area, and an alien speciethe Paarl Mountain Nature Reserve. Future avegetation coverage and density, so that the iclearing efforts.

Paarl Mountain Nature Reserve

rg-Hawaqua, Limietberg-Groenberg, and Waterval-Voelvlei - and three , Hawequa and Winterhoek – are

ties, which play a vital role in water ater from heavy winter rainfall and and Berg rivers, the lifeblood of the

bos is well-conserved, it is the ds that is most in need of protection. veld grows on fertile soils in moist e well suited to agriculture, so large erted to wheatfields, vineyards and , renosterveld has been reduced to nal extent, and is now found only in than 1% is formally protected, with

r private ownership. The largest renosterveld within the Drakenstein d in the Elandsberg Private Nature

ure on biodiversity in South Africa al Area is loss of natural habitat.

, because they displace indigenous stem processes such as pollination etation also use large quantities of

area invaded within the Drakenstein rs report for the Berg River system of the catchment area.

licy - setting out goals and objectives t specific actions with timeframes, e Paarl Mountain Nature Reserve. It ent of the management policy is

n from rivers and streams within the s control plan has been prepared for ction should include mapping alien nformation can be used to prioritise

22

• It is recommended that GIS spatial information on biodiversity priority areas is incorporated into land-use decision-making, and a database is developed to record decisions affecting these areas.

The Drakenstein Vegetation Map The vegetation map lists all the identified vegetation types within the municipal boundary and shows the original extent of the natural vegetation types in the Drakenstein Municipality. The vegetation map is derived from the new Vegetation Map of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland (NBI 2004).

The Drakenstein Ecosystem Status Map This layer shows which ecosystems in the municipality are most threatened, based on how much natural habitat has been lost from these ecosystems. As natural habitat is lost in an ecosystem, its functioning is increasingly compromised, leading eventually to the collapse of the ecosystemand to loss of ecosystem services and species associated with that ecosystem.

23

ECONOMY The Drakenstein Municipal Area is an important agricultural centre in the Western Province’s wine and fruit belt. Economic activities are concentrated in the towns of Paarl and Wellington, and are dominated by the agro-processing industry for the fruit, wine, brandy, juice concentrate and dried fruit sectors. The trade, services and finance sectors also play a significant role, as the towns act as a service centre for the surrounding region. The economy is characterised by major inequalities, however, with an increasing gap between the rich and poor. Poverty levels have been exacerbated by population growth due to the influx of job seekers, most of whom are unskilled people with limited employment opportunities.

Employment in Drakenstein, 1996 and 20031996 = 56 295; 2003 = 60 496

11,479

3,507

1,778

9,367

2,561

205

13,861

17,738

10,277

3,982

1,730

8,122

3,396

241

13,017

15,530

0 2,000 4,000 6,000 8,000 10,000 12,000 14,000 16,000 18,000 20,000

services

finance

transp

trade

const

elec

man

agric

2003 1996

The Drakenstein Municipality is the 2nd largest municipality in the Western Cape after the City of Cape Town. Its economy produced an output of R5.2 billion in 2002, contributing 3.6% towards the Western Cape economy. The current state

• A report published in 2004 - the Local Economic Development (LED) Phase 2 – points out that although the Drakenstein economy has grown, there has been no benefit in terms of reducing inequality in the region.

• The number of people employed rose from 56 295 in 1996 to 60 496 in 2003. This

represents an increase in employment of 1% per year, or approximately 600 jobs per year over a seven-year period.

• Nevertheless, unemployment increased by about 7% between 1996 and 2003,

when it was estimated at 23%. According to census statistics, there were some 19 321 unemployed people in the Drakenstein Municipal Area in 2001, but this figure is likely to have increased substantially since then, as there seems to have been a major influx of job-seekers into the Paarl area.

24

• The rise in unemployment appears to be linked to the decrease in activity of several labour-intensive industry sectors. The second largest employer – the manufacturing industry - has shed jobs, as have the construction, transport, storage and communications sectors.

• The agricultural sector is the main job provider, accounting for almost 30% of total

employment in the area. In terms of output, however, it is only the third largest sector after manufacturing and trade, contributing 15% of total output. Relatively low wages, seasonality of employment, and a high percentage of unskilled and semi-skilled labour are features of the sector.

• Most informal trade in the Drakenstein

Municipal Area is in retailing through mobile or spaza shops. In Mbekweni there are approximately 250 registered informal traders, but 405 informal traders were counted during an informal street count in Paarl in 2004.

• The number of building plans approved by the Drakenstein Municipality has not

changed much for the last few years, except those for housing, which increased substantially.

• The Drakenstein Municipal Area exported some R2.6 billion worth of goods in 2003,

compared to R1.1 billion worth of imports. Exports had increased by almost 89% since 1999, and by 2003 contributed 7.6% of provincial exports. This can be attributed to the high growth in wine exports, boosted by the strong depreciation of the rand during that period.

• The Drakenstein Municipal Area is responsible for

about 30% of South Africa’s total wine exports, almost 70% of which are to countries in Europe.

Responses and recommendations

• The Drakenstein Municipality has taken various initiagrowth and development of its local economy. InIntegrated Development Plan, as well as a LoProgramme.

• It is recommended that efforts are made to address i

reasons behind the decline of labour-intensive indubetween the skills base of the unemployed and markinformal traders and their contribution to the economy.

tives to address the issue of 2003, it commissioned an cal Economic Development

nformation gaps, such as the stry sectors, the comparison et needs, and the number of

25

URBANISATION, URBAN FORM AND HOUSING The primary land use in the Drakenstein Municipal Area is agricultural cultivation. This takes place mainly in the central and western regions, since mountain ranges form a rocky spine along the eastern edge. Urban development is concentrated in the towns of Paarl and Wellington, while Gouda, Saron and Hermon are smaller urban centers in a rural setting. The spatial structure of these towns reflects the apartheid policies of the previous government. Like the rest of the Western Cape, the Drakenstein area has experienced rapid urbanisation. Normal population growth, together with an influx of job-seekers to the towns, has put pressure on local infrastructure and basic services. Furthermore, the absence of a spatial plan and a clearly defined urban edge has led to urban sprawl, resulting in the loss of potentially productive agricultural land, conservation-worthy natural areas, and possibly even sites of historical and cultural value. The negative effects of rapid urbanisationtypically include congestion, environmentapollution and poor housing - indeed, informasettlements have mushroomed in theDrakenstein Municipal Area. On the positiveside, however, urbanisation brings higher livingstandards for many, particularly through easieaccess to education and health facilities. The current state

• According to census statistics, the totaArea in 2001 was 194 410 people, of whblack and 15% as white.

• Paarl is the economic and administrativ

The Berg River flowing through the towndivide the community along racial and cis typical in Paarl West, North and Southhousing is found in areas east of the Berblack population lives, is located in the nare concentrated in the area between thbut are also interspersed with residenindustrial area at Dal Josaphat, largeoversupply of land for industrial purposeindustries to move to industrial parks in t

• Wellington is the second largest town. A

purposes, and there are five distinct resincome residential development is locatehistorically white residential suburbs areincome residential suburbs occur in thethe Central Business District located in Industrial development, mostly linked toR44. A new industrial park has recentlysite.

• Gouda is a predominantly residential rur

Wellington and Ceres. The town is divideGouda with Saron and Porterville to tportion of the town includes a low-densi

l l

r

l population of the Drakenstein Municipal ich 64% were classified as coloured, 21% as

e center of the Drakenstein Municipal Area. , and the railway line that runs parallel to it,

lass lines. Low-density high-income housing , while higher density middle- to low-income g River. Mbekweni, where most of the area’s orth-eastern part of Paarl. Industrial activities e Berg River and Jan van Riebeeck Drive, tial property in some areas. In the main tracts of undeveloped land indicate an s, which may be a reflection of the trend for he Cape Metropolitan Area.

significantThe town is zoned for residential idential areas. Low-density, middle- to high-d in the northern section of town - where the found – while high-density, middle- to lower south. Economic activity is concentrated in the town’s historical core, called ‘Ou Dorp’. the agricultural sector, is located along the been developed on a 46 hectare industrial

al town situated alongside the R44 between d along racial lines by the main road linking

he north. The historically coloured eastern ty area to the south and a high-density area

26

to the north, which is dominated by low-income subsidised housing development. The town was established primarily to support rural activities, so the main economic activities are a fruit storage and packing facility, five shopping facilities and a hotel. Gouda has been experiencing rapid population growth due to the influx of job-seekers and the completion of various housing projects in recent years.

• Saron is a historically coloured town. There are three distinct residential areas, the

oldest areas being located in the north-east of the town and the new subsidised housing in the south-east. The town has a holiday resort, but business development is otherwise limited to eight general dealers.

• Hermon is located to the west of the R44 between Wellington and Gouda, and

consists of a number of residential properties, two primary schools, two churches, a post office, a hotel, a shop and a filling station.

• There is no overarching spatial plan for the Drakenstein

Municipal Area, but the area’s Integrated Development Plan points out that the current spatial form is unsustainable. It identifies the need for spatial integration, as well as urban renewal and economic regeneration of the older areas that are suffering from urban decay and economic stagnation.

• Past town planning has created conflict between

residential and industrial areas in Paarl. Industrial areas were also located very close to the Berg River, resulting in its pollution due to industrial effluent and stormwater runoff.

• The identification of land for low-income group

housing is an important issue in the Drakenstein Municipal Area, where the waiting list for houses currently stands at 21 500. In Wellington, some 25% of the population lives in temporary structures and out-buildings. However, the number of building plans approved by the Municipality reveals substantial residential development in Wellington, Mbekweni and in agricultural areas, with group housing showing a particularly rapid increase.

• There is no information on the extent of influx into the Dra

on the nature of urban-rural migration, although many fknown to be leaving their dwellings on farms and moHowever, a study commissioned by the Western Cape showed that the province was annually receiving about 48search of better job opportunities, more accessible and effsuperior quality of life. Most of the migration was originatin

Responses and recommendations

• To date, little forward planning has been conducted forMunicipal Area, but consultants have recently been appoiDevelopment Framework.

• A Land Audit Study has been commissioned to identify th

all vacant land in the Drakenstein Municipal Area. Severahave been successfully reactivated, and a housing plan h

kenstein Municipal Area or armworker households are ving to the nearest town. government in 2001-2002 000 people, who came in ective infrastructure, and a g from the Eastern Cape.

towns in the Drakenstein nted to complete a Spatial

e development potential of l dormant housing projects as also been completed. A

27

priority for future action will be sourcing the necessary finance for housing development. It is recommended that steps be taken to ensure that housing projects provide a quality living environment, with land set aside for commercial, education and recreation facilities, and safety concerns taken into consideration in their design. Provision should also be made for emergency housing and associated relief efforts in urban and rural areas.

• An Urbanisation and Densification Policy is due to prepared, which will provide

information on population growth rate due to influx into the Drakenstein Municipal Area.

• It is recommended that CBD urban renewal planning be accelerated, and a

maintenance programme be developed for all new and existing services in residential areas.

• The Drakenstein Municipality should consider quantifying the number of informal and

backyard structures, the number of persons per house/structure, and the number and condition of rental units.

28

MUNICIPAL PARKS AND RECREATION

Urban open spaces provide opportunities for recreation, nature conservation, environmental education, and sometimes even urban agriculture. They provide an inexpensive form of relaxation, contributing to improved levels of physical and mental health. They also enhance the appearance of a town, promoting its image as a tourist destination.

Open spaces act as the ‘green lungs’ of urban environments, as their plants keep the air healthy by absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen. Vegetation in parks and along city streets provides welcome shade and buffers noise, while green belts along riverbanks can reduce erosion, provide habitat for urban wildlife, and prevent houses from being built in flood-prone areas.

If not properly located or maintained, however, urban open spaces quickly become underutilised and neglected. Then they are vulnerable to being used for illegal dumping, criminal activity or settlement by homeless people. This increases the incentive to develop the land, but any loss of public open space reduces the quality of life of urban dwellers, and limits opportunities to conserve remaining natural habitat. The current state

• A significant proportion of land in the Drakenstein Municipal Area is designated as public open space, which includes nature areas, play parks, sports fields, swimming pools, caravan parks and holiday resorts. Some of the facilities in these areas are poorly maintained, however, and are subject to vandalism.

• There are 19 sports fields in the Drakenstein Municipal Area,

which cater for athletics, cricket, soccer, rugby, hockey, tennis, bowling and jukskei.

• There are seven municipal swimming pools in the

Drakenstein Municipal Area – three in Paarl, two in Wellington, one in the holiday resort at Saron, and one at Antoniesvlei Holiday Resort. The pools are well maintained, although their maintenance needs will increase with age. For safety reasons, access to swimming pools is controlled to prevent overcrowding. Some people swim in the highly polluted Berg River, running the risk of contracting diseases as well as drowning.

• There are three caravan parks in the Drakenstein Municipal Area, in Paarl,

Wellington and Saron.

• There are three prominent nature areas in the Drakenstein Municipal Area – Paarl Mountain Nature Reserve, Paarl Arboretum and Paarl Bird Sanctuary.

• There are 110 play parks in the Drakenstein

Municipal Area, but some have few facilities, lacking playground equipment, trees, benches or picnic areas. The play parks are cleaned on a weekly basis.

29

Responses and recommendations

• It is recommended that the parks be cleaned more frequently and the grass in parks cut and maintained at regular intervals

• Security should be increased at sport and recreational facilities to control vandalism.

• Additional swimming pools and sports fields are needed.

• Opportunities for maximising the use of open space should be investigated, and

linkages made to tourism development strategies.

30

WASTE SERVICES Domestic waste is increasing in volume due to population growth, urbanisation, the highly consumptive lifestyles of affluent people, and low levels of recycling. This places pressure on existing landfill sites, increasing the need for more land to be set aside for waste disposal purposes. All landfill sites must meet certain standards in order to qualify for an operating permit, because poorly managed sites can affect environmental and human health by polluting air, land and freshwater systems. Leachate from landfills may contaminate soils and groundwater with a variety of pollutants, while gas emissions may endanger communities living nearby. However, the cost of meeting the stricter standards has necessitated imposing higher charges for waste disposal at landfill sites. Unfortunately, this probably leads to more cases of illegal dumping, which pollutes the environment, impacts biodiversity and degrades open spaces. Inadequate refuse removal services also result in illegal dumping, as well as widespread littering, which is not only an eyesore but a safety concern, since broken bottles and rusty cans can cause injury if inadvertently stepped upon. The current state

• The Drakenstein Municipality makes use of the recently upgraded Wellington landfill site, which had an initial airspace of 1 400 000 m3. Based on the current landfilling rate of approximately 7 000 m3 per month, the site has a remaining lifespan of about 16.6 years, or 200 months. Some 60 000 tons of waste are received at the landfill per year.

• Approximately 95% of households in the Drakenstein Municipal Area have a refuse

removal service. Rubbish bags are delivered to all houses, including those in informal settlements. Hermon does not have a house-to-house refuse removal service, but makes use of a central refuse collection point system.

• There are many incidences of illegal dumping and littering, like these pictured

below.

• The waste-transfer stations and cleansing depots in all

• The Drakenstein Municipality provides waste servicerequest. However, this is not cost-effective, as the fcollection route. Generally, farmers are responsible for and there are no statistics available on the burning or bu

• Some industries pay for waste disposal services

Municipality, which provides them with skips or bins foron private contractors to dispose of their waste.

five towns need upgrading.

s to 10 farms on special arms are far off the refuse dealing with their own waste, rying of waste on farms.

offered by the Drakenstein collecting waste. Others rely

31

• There is a dumpsite for builders’ rubble in the Donkervliet industrial area, although all loads bigger than 1 ton or a trailer-full have to make use of the Wellington landfill site. Illegal dumping of builders’ rubble is particularly problematic, given that the Drakenstein Municipality only has one operational digger-loader for the entire municipal area. However, this problem is addressed by hiring of appropriate equipment if and when needed.

• The total volume of waste collected from

street-sweeping, street rubbish bins and illegal dumping over a year amounts to 22 000 m3.

The weighbridge at Wellington landfill site.

• The Wellington landfill site is not permitted to receive hazardous waste, so most of this – including unknown quantities of medical waste - is sent to Vissershoek landfill site, operated by the City of Cape Town.

Two informal waste collectors

• The only recycling initiatives are privately run, by various schools and organisations. There are also a number of informal waste collectors and sorters who collect and sell material to recycling companies, but no records of the volumes of waste being recycled are available.

• The solid waste landfill site at Wateruintjiessvlei was closed in mid 1998, but Paarl

will be responsible for the site for 30 years. Monitoring for methane gas and groundwater quality takes place on a monthly, quarterly and annual basis.

Responses and recommendations

• A Draft Integrated Waste Development Plan for the Drakenstein Municipal Area has been completed.

• It is recommended that capacity be increased in future, to reach the target of door-to-

door refuse removal service for all, excluding farms.

• Recycling initiatives (as part of the Poverty Alleviation Programme), as well as waste reduction and minimisation projects, should be promoted.

• The process of upgrading waste transfer stations and cleansing depots should be

continued.

• Compulsory reporting of hazardous waste generation should be initiated.

• The number of incidents of illegal dumping, and the volumes of waste concerned, should be properly recorded.

• The municipality has employed law enforcement officers to assist in monitoring of

illegal dumping and littering.

32

WATER SERVICES

Access to water supply and sanitation services provide communities with the opportunity to improve their quality of life. However, poor service provision can endanger human health, since inadequately treated drinking water, and sewage that contaminates water sources, may cause various illnesses and spread life-threatening diseases.

The natural environment is also affected if infrastructure is insufficient or poorly maintained, resulting in pollution due to high nutrient and salinity levels, heavy metals and toxic chemicals, litter and organic matter, and pathogens such as viruses and bacteria. At the same time, the quantity and quality of water supply is influenced by natural events like drought and floods, and exacerbated by human-mediated impacts such as deforestation, encroachment of alien vegetation, land-use changes and river canalisation.

Addressing the historical imbalance in service delivery to poorer communities is a priority for the Drakenstein Municipality. However, the infrastructure associated with the provision of water services is expensive to install, and requires ongoing costly maintenance.

The current state • Almost 98% of the 44 410 households surveyed in the 2001 census had access to

piped water. The remaining 946 households were using unreliable or unhygienic water sources, but the number is believed to have declined since then due to improved service delivery by the Drakenstein Municipality.

• Some 90-95% of households are serviced by running water

and flushing toilets. Fairyland informal settlement has communal ablution facilities, which are only partially operational due to vandalism and incorrect usage – blockages frequently occur as people use newspaper instead of toilet paper.

Communal Ablution Facilities

• Although no sewage is deliberately discharged into the Berg River and its tributaries, some accidental contamination of the river system occasionally occurs due to blockages and overflows in the sewers. During rainy periods, large volumes of stormwater entering the sewer system exceed the capacity of the pipe network and waste water treatment works.

• The high-lying areas of Wellington experience poor water pressure, which sometimes

results in service interruptions during periods of peak water demand, as well as inadequate flow for fire-fighting purposes. In addition, high static pressure causes frequent pipe bursts and leaks, leading to service interruptions and water losses.

• There have been no reported cases of cholera in the Drakenstein Municipal Area to

date. Regular tests are carried out in the rivers, water supply and sewage systems to ensure early detection, and the Municipality strives to raise public awareness about the disease.

33

• All the existing public toilets have full-time staff,

and most of the facilities are open seven days a week. However, there is a demand for public toilets in the Northern Paarl business node, where farmworkers do their shopping.

• There are five bulk sewage facilities for the Dra

Valley, Paarl, Wellington, Gouda and Saron – andwinery and industrial effluent. Paarl’s sewage facilityMega-litres per day. It is currently being upgraded2010, and to reduce phosphate content to 1 Mg/l to fit must obtain to continue operating. Once this upgrthe Wellington facility, which is receiving more sewagplacing enormous pressure on the facility, particularly

Responses and recommendations

• The Drakenstein Municipality has drawn up a Wwhich covers the urban areas of Paarl, Wellingtrevised regularly to facilitate planning for the upgrwill also be amended to include other areas, essuch as Klapmuts, Simondium and Wemmershoethe Cape Winelands District.

• A new Diemersfontein reservoir will be constructe

order to improve water pressure in parts of Wellin

• The Paarl Sewage Master Plan indicates a nepipelines towards the Paarl waste water treatmen

• The Drakenstein Municipality is in the process o

sanitation to all, with service delivery to informal a

• The completion of the Drakenstein Water and Wellington have been updated

• A new water purification works on Paarl Moun

quality.

• A new Waste Water Treatment Works (Sewage) sis being undertaken.

kenstein Municipal Area - at Pearl special facilities are available for is the largest, with a capacity of 35 to provide sufficient capacity until ulfil the conditions of the new permit ade is complete, work will begin on e than its intended capacity. This is during the summer months.

ater Services Development Plan, on, Saron and Gouda. This will be ading of bulk water infrastructure. It pecially those to the south of Paarl k, and rural areas taken over from

d and several pipelines upgraded in gton.

ed to upgrade many main sewer t works.

f supplying adequate and efficient reas considered top priority.\

Sewer Master Plans for Paarl and

tain planned to improve the water

tudy for the Paarl South Rural Area

34

ENERGY Energy is a basic need for human development and economic growth. It is essential to the effective functioning of households, transport, commerce and industry, as well as all social services such as health and education. And since street lighting tends to inhibit criminal activity, it may also play a role in increasing the safety of local communities. Access to energy is important in determining quality of life, bumeans that many people are still dependent on wood, paraffin, gawarmth, cooking and light. Careless use of paraffin and cadestructive fires in informal settlements, while smoke from coal pollution and contributes to respiratory disease. However, on a regional level, electricity generation from coal-drivmajor source of air pollution. Emissions of sulphur dioxide arespiratory disorders and result in acid rain, while carbon dioxcontributing to global warming. Eskom supplies all the Drakenstein Municipality’s electricity, created by rapid population growth and urbanisation is outstrippingeneration systems and supply networks. The current state

• The Drakenstein Municipality supplies the first 50 Kw of elall households fitted with a 20 Amp or less circuit breakerhouseholds with low electricity consumption. Some 4 60this subsidy, which amounts to some R3 976 414 per annu

• Informal settlements of Paarl East, Wellington, Mbekwe

housing for farmworkers, have no electricity supply. All fosupplied with electricity connection points.

• Much of the electricity network is very dated and

requires ongoing repair, together with upgrading to keep up with demand and prevent overloading. Electricity distribution boxes in rental houses are in poor condition, but insufficient funds are available to maintain all electrical infrastructure.

• There are no initiatives relating to the use of renewabl

energy - in the Drakenstein Municipal Area at present, aprobably make use of solar panels to reduce their electricit

• An energy audit to assess the Drakenstein Municipality’s

not been conducted.

• At present, most of the legally developed or settled areasareas of the Drakenstein Municipal Area have street-lighstreet lighting cannot be supplied, are supplied with high-m

t the legacy of apartheid s, candles and batteries for ndles frequently result in and wood fires causes air

en power stations is also a nd nitrogen oxides cause ide is a greenhouse gas

but the growing demand g the capacity of electricity

ectricity free of charge to , encompassing the poorer 0 households benefit from m.

ni and Saron, and some rmal legal households are

e energy - such as wind lthough some households y costs.

energy use efficiency has

and some of the informal ting. Informal areas where ast lighting.

35

Responses and recommendations

• The Drakenstein Municipality has recently undertaken to supply electricity to farmworkers upon request to the electricity department. Efforts are being made to inform farmers to apply for such connections.

• It is recommended that a structure plan be developed for the Drakenstein

Municipality, showing where and when development is to take place, to facilitate planning with respect to electricity supply.

• Strategies for more efficient energy usage, and the potential to use alternative energy

sources, should be investigated.

36

TRANSPORT Transport systems are vital in supporting economic and everyday life, providing access to markets, employment, schools, healthcare and recreation. With the rapid growth of urban areas and informal settlements, however, the distances between places of work and residence are becoming larger, so people have to spend excessive amounts of time, energy and money on travelling. This highlights the need to co-ordinate land-use and transport planning, and to make safe and affordable public transport available to all. An effective urban transport system would not only contribute to the economic development of an area, but also increase the population’s overall standard of living and quality of life. This is because people would be able to devote more resources to meeting basic needs for food and clothing, purchasing luxury goods like domestic appliances, and engaging in recreational and social activities. Improved public transport would also reduce the strain on road networks. Construction and maintenance of roads require high capital investment, and heavy traffic is a major contributor to congestion, stress, accidents, and air and noise pollution. In order to limit the increasing use of private motor vehicles, incentives should be implemented to encourage car-pooling, and bicycles should be promoted as an environmentally friendly and cost-effective mode of transport. The current state

• Transport planning in the Drakenstein Municipal Area is encumbered by the number of vineyards and smallholdings, which limit options for additional roads and hinder traffic flow.

• The number of vehicles registered in the Drakenstein Municipal Area increased from

37 110 to 50 854 between December 2002 and 2003. The proliferation of cars and influx of commuters into the urban areas is expected to lead to a shortage of parking space.

• Traffic Department statistics reveal the high number of

accidents involving pedestrians. In a 26-month period between February 1999 and March 2002, for example, 234 people in Paarl and Wellington were slightly injured after being struck by motor vehicles, 56 were seriously injured, and 24 were killed.

• Minibus taxis represent the dominant mode of public transport within the Drakenstein Municipal Area, and there are nine registered taxi associations. Minibus facilities are provided in all five towns, and there are 161 different routes. Waiting times for passengers are relatively low in Paarl and Wellington, where supply exceeds demand for most routes, but in informal settlements such as Silvertown passengers have to wait for up to an hour without shelter.

37

• There are 11 bus operators providing services in Paarl,

Wellington and Saron, but Hermon and Gouda have no bus service. Greyhound, Translux and InterCape provide inter-provincial bus services.

• Approximately 30 000 people per day use the railway services from four train

stations - Paarl, Huguenot, Dal Josafat and Mbekweni - in the Drakenstein Municipal Area. The main railway line runs from Cape Town, but sidelines serve the industrial areas.

• In July 1993 the then Paarl Municipality commissioned

an in-depth study for a pedestrian and bicycle network for the town. The study recommended that bicycle paths be implemented for scholars, that recreational bicycle routes with proper signage and maps be promoted as an attraction in Paarl, and that more lock-up facilities for bikes be provided.

• Heavy vehicles travelling between Wellington and the

that are not designed for such traffic, resulting in damag Responses and recommendations

• Road signage has been improved since the introdumanual, and a programme is in place to upgrade street

• Some traffic calming measures have been imple

Municipality, in an effort to reduce the road accident additional measures be taken to address the high incpedestrians. Most roads in the rural areas are theWinelands District.

• The 2004/5 IDP identifies the need to develop a pu

Drakenstein Municipality, and recommends that the transport is promoted.

• Demarcated routes for heavy vehicles should b

signposted. Local hauliers should be made aware otaking ‘short cuts’ on back roads.

• The anticipated shortage of parking space in urban a

implementation of the CBD Renewal Development initia

N1 free to t

ction-lightin

menterate. idenc resp

blic truse o

e def thes

reas tive.

quently use back roads he road surface.

in 1998 of a signage g as funds allow.

d by the Drakenstein It is recommended that e of accidents involving onsibility of the Cape

ansport strategy for the f bicycles as a form of

signated and properly e routes, and fined for

will be addressed upon

38

HEALTH Good health is essential for a satisfactory quality of life and a thriving economy. However, population growth and urbanisation taking place in the absence of suitable living and working conditions will tend to promote ill-health and the spread of disease. For example, overcrowding increases the risk of contagious diseases such as TB, while inadequate sanitation and water supply may spread waterborne diseases such as cholera and dysentery. Air pollution from industrial smokestacks, and wood or coal homefires in poorly ventilated residences, may cause more respiratory disease. All of these factors have a negative impact on the local economy, because communities with consistently poor health typically experience lowered productivity, increased unemployment and hence reduced spending power. Since the cost of preventing illnesses is far less than that of curative treatment and absence from work, the focus should be on providing good-quality, affordable and accessible primary health care, lessening the need for expensive secondary and tertiary health care. As in the rest of South Africa, however, funding constraints, staff capacity problems and the prevalence of HIV/AIDS are placing health services in the Drakenstein Municipal Area under considerable strain. The current state

• There are a variety of health facilities in the Drakenstein Municipal Area, including three private hospitals, three public hospitals and two provincial hospitals, as well as six clinics in Paarl, four in Wellington, and one each in Gouda and Saron. There are two rural-area clinics serving Nuwedrift and Klein Drakenstein. Paarl also has three mobile clinics, while Wellington and Hermon each have one, and Saron has six. Wellington has two satellite clinics. In addition, Paarl has six and Wellington has five ‘combined services’ clinics. There are also many private general practitioners.

• Paarl hospital has 247 beds, but this is about half the number it needs for the size of

the population it serves. The hospital is currently being upgraded but has no intensive care unit, and lacks financial and human resources. The TC Newman hospital in Paarl East has sufficient beds but the level of service is not of the preferred quality. The Sonstraal hospital treats TB patients from Paarl and surroundings, and provides space to Agape - an HIV/AIDS centre.

• Clinics in Paarl and Wellington are reasonably accessible, being in walking distance

for most people in the communities they serve. However, in some other areas people have to travel long distances to receive medical treatment, or wait for the scheduled visit of a mobile clinic. Patients experience long waiting periods of up to 2 hours in most clinics, and often have to return the next day, as the afternoons are normally set aside for administrative work. The heavy workload on staff compromises their ability to deliver a high-quality service, and many suffer from stress and depression. The clinics are also in need of improved medical supplies, security measures and maintenance work.

• State social workers and many NGOs provide welfare services, including

counselling, to the Paarl community. However, staff at the Mbekweni, Phola Park, Dalvale, Klein Nederburg and Hillcrest Clinics have expressed the need for a social worker to attend to patients requiring counselling. Welfare trends reveal particular

39

problems relating to single parenthood, alcohol and drug abuse, and violence against women.

• There are no reliable statistics for the Drakenstein Municipal Area on Infant

Mortality Rate, defined as the annual number of deaths of children less than one year old, per 1000 live births. Nationally, the IMR is 59 infant deaths for every 1000 live births, but the Western Cape has the country’s lowest IMR, at 30:1000. Diseases such as gastroenteritis and pneumonia cause a large percentage of infant deaths.

• The incidence of tuberculosis, or TB, is almost exclusive

to poorer communities, and is more prevalent in informal settlements and rural areas, where people typically live in overcrowded, sub-standard housing conditions. Treatment of the disease is being hampered by patients who stop taking their daily medication before completing the 6-month course, as this promotes the development of multi-drug resistant strains of TB. The distance to clinics, and the difficulty of visiting them during the harvest season - when farm labourers work long hours – are contributing factors for non-compliance.

• There has been a significa

HIV/AIDS in the Drakenstmajority of patients coming fand Paarl East. This not onunder great pressure, but mayif a significant proportion of eare affected by the diseaseAIDS-related deaths in the peIn the first nine months of 20were found positive for HIVpeople per month.

• There is a high incidence of Foetal Alcohol Syndrome in

Area. In 1997 it was found that 4.8% of Grade One pupdiagnosed with FAS, which is caused by drinking alcohcondition is associated with a variety of developmentaldeliveries and low birth weight of babies to retarded features, brain damage, low intelligence, behaviourallanguage assimilation in older children.

• There are about 35 births to teenage girls per month in

Area. Based on data from Census 2001, it is estimated 12.2% of the total population of women under the age of 1performed on teenage girls at Drakenstein hospitals andwas recorded as 116 in each year.

• A study is being undertaken to assess the levels of rado

large granite outcrops occur. Granite has a higher urantypes, and radon is one of the elements emitted in the uranstudy conducted in the Western Cape in 1988 showed higthan the other four areas sampled. Radon is potentially hamay cause lung cancer.

nt increase in cases of ein Municipal Area, the rom Mbekweni, Fairyland, ly places health services impact the local economy conomically active people . Wellington reported 70 riod July 1999-June 2000. 04, 14% of people tested

, equivalent to some 118

the Drakenstein Municipal ils in Wellington could be ol during pregnancy. The problems, from pre-term growth, malformed facial

abnormalities and poor

the Drakenstein Municipal that this represents about

8. The number of abortions clinics in 2002 and 2003

n in the Paarl area, where ium level than other rock ium decay process. A pilot

her levels of radon in Paarl zardous when inhaled, and

40

Responses and recommendations

• The Drakenstein Municipality participates in a Health Study Plan for Boland District Municipality.

• The Drakenstein Municipality has been selected for a pilot project in a Food and

Nutrient Programme initiated by the Department of Land Affairs.

• It is recommended that radon tests be conducted prior to initiating township developments in high-risk areas.

41

EDUCATION Education is one of the most important long-term investments a country can make, and is key to its socio-economic development. It empowers people to improve their life skills and increases the opportunities available to them, leading to a better quality of life. Many environmental and social problems in today’s society could be addressed if the majority of the population had a solid grounding in education. However, higher numbers of learners in schools, and fewer teachers due to government policies, poor salaries and unsafe working conditions, are believed to be causing a decline in the quality of education. Education facilities are also becoming degraded, as insufficient funds are made available to maintain and upgrade them. In the Drakenstein Municipal Area there are 82 schools, comprising 57 primary schools and 25 secondary schools. The current state

• A questionnaire-based survey was distributed to all schools in the Drakenstein Municipal Area, to which only 10 failed to respond. The 72 schools all indicated that they have access to freshwater, although Blouvlei Primary’s water is from a borehole, and is not really suitable for drinking.

• The majority of schools have access to sports facilities – either on their own

premises or by using municipal grounds or another school’s facilities. Only Berg River Primary, Lubeck Primary, Nondzame Primary and Rondeheuwel Primary have no access to any sports facilities.

• Most of the schools have flush toilets connected to the sewage system, while others

have flush toilets with a septic tank. However, Blouvlei Primary has only a chemical toilet and three pit latrines. At the majority of schools at least some of the toilets are not in working order.

• Some schools participate in river clean-up activities, and undertake biological

monitoring of water quality using SWAP starter kits, to meet environmental education outcomes.

• The total population of the Drakenstein

Municipal Area was estimated at 194 385 in the 2001 Census. Based on a figure of 195 000, there is approximately one school for every 2 378 people, or 0.42 schools per 1 000 residents.

42

• In the Drakenstein Municipal Area, the average learner:teacher ratio is 33:1 in

primary schools and 29:1 in secondary schools. There is no nationally prescribed learner:teacher ratio, but the Western Cape Department of Education tries to ensure that the ratios of 39.5:1 for primary schools and 33:1 for secondary schools are not exceeded.

• The number of street children in the Drakenstein Municipal Area is unknown, but it is estimated that there are some 15-20 such children in Paarl and 12-17 in Wellington. It is unlikely that there are any street children in the other towns.

A couple of homeless children pictured sleeping on a sidewalk in Paarl.

• There is a high level of illiteracy amongst farmworkers, but numerous adult education centres exist within the Drakenstein Municipal Area.

• More affordable daycare facilities are needed in the Drakenstein Municipal Area.

Although the Department of Education has 92 institutions listed as offering Grade R classes – including pre-primary and primary schools, educare and daycare centres - fees are too expensive for many parents.

Responses and recommendations

• The Drakenstein Municipality ensures that all schools are supplied with safe drinking water.

• Various environmental education initiatives during Water Week are supported by the

Drakenstein Municipality. These include a competition in which schools are judged on any water-conservation project of their choice.

• Most of the remaining issues mentioned above are the responsibility of the

Department of Education, and no response is required from the Drakenstein Municipality.

43

SAFETY AND SECURITY

Crime is a serious issue affecting all sectors of society. Unemployment, inadequate education, drug abuse, and the breakdown of family and support structures are just some of the factors that contribute to crime. However, poverty is regarded as one of the main driving forces behind rising crime levels, since the need to survive - together with the desire to have material goods that make life more enjoyable - are strong incentives for poor people to turn to criminal activity. For this reason, crime prevention strategies should go hand in hand with poverty eradication programmes, as well as initiatives to establish supportive community structures.

The impacts of crime are wide-ranging and affect people’s overall quality of life. Typically there is declining investment in crime-ridden areas, which has a variety of economic consequences, perpetuating poverty levels. The poor, disabled and elderly, as well as women and children, are most vulnerable to crime such as sexual assault and robbery. Homeowners are forced to increase security measures, spending money which could otherwise be used to improve their standard of living. Factors that make it easier for criminals to operate include lack of visible policing, poor urban design, insufficient lighting, and overgrown vegetation, all of which contribute to the development of crime ‘hotspots’. The current state • There is a concentration of criminal activity in the central business district of Paarl, and

people generally feel that this is linked to poverty and alcohol. Chicago, Mbekweni and Carterville are other urban crime ‘hotspots’.

• Approximately 90% of all crime in the Paarl area is perpetrated by youth, and in an

attempt to address this, the Mbekweni Community Policing Forum has put considerable effort into initiating youth programmes.

• Community Policing Forums aim to actively

involve the community in crime prevention within their neighbourhoods. There are CPFs in Paarl, Paarl East, Wellington, Mbekweni, Saron and Hermon. They consist of various local organisations which work with the police on initiatives to make their communities a safer place.

• Some of the neighbourhood watches in the Paa

area have become vigilante groups, and additional and disciplinary measures are required. Individual companies are preferred to neighbourhood watchesPaarl West area.

• As security increases in urban areas, criminals ar

there are also high crime statistics for assault, aviolence among rural and farmworker communities.

rl East training security in the

e targetinglcohol abu

farming areas, where se, rape and domestic

44

• The Western Cape Province has a ratio of 1

police official for every 313 citizens. The police stations in the Drakenstein Municipal Area are Paarl (223 total staff complement), Paarl East (125), Wellington (123), Mbekweni (96) and Saron (30). Gouda has only a contact point, where police officers from Tulbagh are stationed over weekends, while Hermon is serviced by Riebeeck West police station. The apartheid legacy is reflected in the disparity of resources at police stations, some of which are in urgent need of repair and upgrade.

An exhibition about drugs, alcohol, gangsterism and crime presented by the SA Police in Paarl in conjunction with Drakenstein Municipality

Responses and recommendations:

• The Drakenstein Municipality is appointing Municipal Law Enforcement Officers to supplement the services of the police.

• Street-lighting is installed where requested.

Transformation Manager, Geraldine Mettler,

busy handing out awareness pamphlets.

45

CULTURAL HERITAGE The South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA) is the statutory body responsible for the protection of the country’s cultural heritage. However, local authorities are expected to identify sites of historical or cultural significance when revising their town planning schemes or spatial plans. These sites include, among others, archaeological and palaeontological sites; historical settlements, graves and burial grounds; landscapes and natural features of cultural significance; and sites relating to the history of slavery in South Africa. Where a systematic survey to identify conservation-worthy places has not been completed, a permit is required to alter or demolish any structure older than 60 years. New legislation, together with increasing awareness of the importance of South Africa’s cultural heritage among all sectors of the population, provides renewed hope for the conservation of our heritage resources. Sadly, this is counteracted by capacity problems, poor co-ordination, insufficient investment, and ignorance of the relevant laws, all of which pose a significant threat to these resources. The Drakenstein region has a long history oIts many heritage resources can be usededucational opportunities, as well as derive The current state

• The Drakenstein Municipality hmanagement of cultural heritage comprehensive database.

• The full potential of cultural heritag

not being realised, due to insufficstakeholders. Although tourism pamthe Paarl and Wellington areas, little

• The Paarl town farms contribute

increasing pressure of development

• The Agricultural Fair, which was sno longer takes place.

• Developments affecting sites wit

referred to the relevant Aesthetics activity requiring a Heritage ImpacResources Act (no 25 of 1999) is als

Wellington Museum

f settlement and contains a rich cultural heritage. to build community identity and pride, provide economic benefits through tourism promotion.

as certain responsibilities concerning the resources, but is hampered by the lack of a

e resources in the Drakenstein Municipal Area is ient communication with education and tourism phlets list buildings and other historical sites in

detailed information is provided.

to the character of the town, but are under .

een by the public as a significant cultural event,

h recognised historical or heritage value are Committees in Paarl, Wellington and Saron. Any t Assessment in terms of the National Heritage o referred to Heritage Western Cape.

45

46

Responses and recommendations

• In September 2004, the Drakenstein Municipality appointed a Heritage Resources Officer, who will be tasked with initiating a comprehensive heritage resources survey. The survey will review the status and significance of all cultural resources, and make recommendations concerning their optimal utilisation.

• A recent policy on the future use of Paarl’s remaining town farms - formulated for the

Drakenstein Municipality by a team of consultants – recommended that there be no further large-scale development on the remaining town farms. The policy document assessed 24 farms, covering a total area of just over 500 hectares, for their heritage and conservation significance.

• The Drakenstein Municipality’s Tourism Policy and Plan identifies cultural resources

that need to be further developed, highlights the role of various stakeholders, and advocates the development of an Integrated Cultural Resources Management Plan.

46

47

ENVIRONMENTAL GOVERNANCE Environmental Governance is a fairly new concept within local government in South Africa. It is a cornerstone of Agenda 21, the global blueprint for sustainable development adopted at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development - or ‘Earth Summit’ - in Rio de Janeiro in 1992.

47

Environmental Governance encompasses all activities of municipalities, rather than only ‘green issues’, and must integrate the three pillars of sustainable development - environment, economic and social. Larger cities were the first to adopt Environmental Governance principles; smaller local authorities, including the Drakenstein Municipality, have only recently started applying the concept.

However, implementation is unlikely to progress unless there is more collaboration between different spheres of government, clarity on areas of responsibility, and political accountability. The public’s lack of environmentalawareness and will to be regulated are added stumblingblocks. The current state

• An estimated 3%, or R17 million, of the Drakenston environmental governance. Of this, R6.3 millionremaining R10.7 million supports capital work.

• Operational costs include those associated with

amalgamation of informal trading areas, neiginfrastructure to farmworkers, alien plant control, fand water treatment.

• Capital costs include those associated with, among

toilets, solid waste sites, traffic calming, sidewaupgrades, as well as the compilation of the State of

Responses and recommendations

• The Drakenstein Municipality is considering management section. In the interim, there are a direct influence on environmental management, sofficer responsible for the Paarl Mountain Nature Re

• A Spatial Development Framework is in the pro

Drakenstein Municipal Area, together with a Strateg

• It is recommended that the Drakenstein Municipality

• Although the Drakenstein Municipality does not haState of Environment Report is seen as the first stpolicy.

ein Municipality’s budget is spent funds operational costs and the

aspects as varied as tourism, hbourhood gardens, sanitation lood monitoring, street sweeping

others, rural road lighting, public lk construction, sewage system Environment report.

establishing an environmental number of staff members with a uch as the nature conservation serve.

cess of being drawn up for the ic Environmental Assessment.

adopt Local Agenda 21.

ve an environmental policy, the ep in the development of such a

48

48