The Nelson Mandela University (NMU) is still planning to have a new, proposed access road constructed to ease traffic flow to its North and South campuses, but residents are up in arms at this development, as it will have an impact on the university’s nature reserve.
The proposed road is said to be an extension of Strandfontein Road, from the NMU fence south of Gomery Avenue, until it meets up with Protea Road, at South Campus, at a distance of approximately 1km.
NMU spokesperson, Debbie Derry, said that the new access route would benefit all in the Summerstrand area and those commuting to it.
“The road will reduce traffic in Marine Drive and Admiralty Way. There will also be less traffic in Gomery Road, as the proposed road will lead traffic up Strandfontein Road, from the traffic circle at Spar, to where the road ends at the university fence,” she said.
“There are no resident entrances off this portion of road and the entrance will be locked at night,” Derry added.
However, a concerned resident, who did not want to be named, believes that building a road will not solve the actual problem: the fact that Strandfontein Road is a single carriageway.
“The varsity thinks that the traffic jam is in Gomery Avenue, but it is, in fact, the robot at the Sasol garage that slows vehicles down and the robot at La Roche Drive and Strandfontein Road,” he explained.
He is also very disturbed about the proposed road leading through a section of the nature reserve. “Although this is called the NMU Campus Nature Reserve, the emphasis is on ‘reserve’ and not that it belongs to the university.
“This area houses the Grysbok Environmental Education Trail and is home to a variety of mammals, reptiles, amphibians, birds and flora.
“The fynbos vegetation found there is highly threatened due to agricultural clearing and coastal development. Of the 17 500 ha of this vegetation still in existence, only 1 500 ha is conserved and this reserve accounts for 48% of its total,” he explained. “Is the sacrifice of more of this land really worth the outcome?”
Derry responded that the university recognises the privilege and responsibility of having an “outdoor-laboratory” on their doorstep and is committed to conserving this special tract of land.
“As custodians, we manage it for the benefit of our staff, students and all nature lovers.
“At the same time, the university is set on improving campus safety and security and for this we are rethinking the reconfiguring of the South, North and Ocean Sciences campuses and planning to this end is advanced.
“Given that these campuses are in a nature reserve, we have to share these with the Department of Economic Development, Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEDEAT) and are awaiting their response. COVID-19 has affected the progress.”
According to a background information document (BID) in PE Express’s possession, DEDEAT granted the university authorisation for the building of a new road on August 20 last year. However, the authorisation was for a link road between Gomery Avenue and Protea Road, adjacent to the Ocean Sciences building.
“The advantage of this alternative is that the overall impact on the nature reserve is significantly less than the other proposed road, but the traffic volume on Gomery Avenue remains relatively unchanged, as vehicles will still make use of it to access the new entrance,” the document read.
The BID also stated that NMU would apply for an amendment to the authorisation, to cover the inclusion of a portion of Erf 126, Schoenmakerskop, to the reserve.
This would serve as an offset to compensate for the loss of approximately 2.39 ha of the nature reserve for the development of the preferred road through Strandfontein Road.
“The advantage of this alternative is that it will significantly reduce the impact on Gomery Avenue, caused by university-generated traffic and there will be less noise pollution.
“The disadvantage is that the construction will result in a portion of the nature reserve being lost from the rest,” the document concluded.
