Electricity Transmission Line Action Committee (ETLAC)
P O Box 10,
Tulbagh
6820
28 April, 2005
The Honorable Minister
Environmental Affairs and Tourism
Department of Environmental Affairs & Tourism
Private Bag X447
Pretoria
0001
Dear Honorable Minister,
Proposed Gamma Omega 765kv Power Lines Cape Strengthening Project - Tulbagh area
We beg your intervention in this matter of extreme importance to the residents of this area, including the Tulbagh and Riebeek Kasteel valleys.
Herewith please find 1136 Petitions against the proposed Power Line.
Our motivation against this Power Line is as follows;
The negative effect of the proposed Power Line will be disastrous for property investment, the development of Tourism and the opportunities that are being created for the broader community, as a result of the increasing popularity of the area and Tulbagh in particular. Tulbagh has about 500 beds available and these beds need to be filled. The demand for accommodation is increasing steadily as a result of the valley becoming a chosen weekend retreat for the city dwellers of the Cape Metropolitan area, a country wedding venue, a definite must for overseas visitors wishing to view the famous Historic Church Street National Monuments and the Museums, a chosen destination for Bird Watchers, Wine and Olive oil lovers, Horse riders, Mountain Climbers, Hikers, 4 x 4 Off-roader's, Mountain bikers, fishermen and nature lovers in general. The spin-offs of these activities and attractions to creating jobs in the community for the previously disadvantaged members of the community and for Black empowerment cannot be underestimated. Tulbagh has at times had all it's accommodation filled just for a few weddings! Must the community loose their livelihoods and the potential for jobs for their children on account of a Power Line?
It is believed that the negative visual impact of the Power Line will destroy the natural beauty of the relatively unspoilt area and will most certainly affect the pace, or momentum of the hitherto substantial investments in property generally and the Wine and Agricultural Industry in particular.
The Power Line will cause a loss of Job opportunities in an area already plagued with high unemployment.
Whilst there appears to be no proof that the Power Line will have the potential to affect the health of our community members, flora, fauna and agriculture, there is also no conclusive proof that it will not. This community does not wish to take the risk.
The community was not adequately consulted. It appears as though very few residents of the valley even knew of the proposed Power Line and those that did know of it, understood the pylons to be of the same size as the existing lines (15m) as opposed to the 45 to 55m as proposed. Most of those who knew, were apparently also of the understanding that the line was to go between the existing lines in the Wolseley area. There is also a perception or understanding from the facts at our disposal, that the `so called' stakeholders, who were consulted, were not fully representative of the broader community. As a matter of fact, some of the owners of farms approached by Eskom for options to cross their land certainly did not know of the proposed power line and there are many who are not members of an organised Agricultural Union. Then, in respect of the ordinary public and general property owners in the valley, not many, if any, knew about the power line at all!
The Power Line will cause sterilisation of the area for future development.
This area is the last refuge of the Geometric Tortoise and it is feared that the Power Line will negatively affect their chances of survival.
The area is a breeding place for the Blue Crane and other rare bird life and Power Lines pose a danger to these birds.
We believe that the EIA process was flawed in that the study was undertaken on the full length of the proposed line and each segment (such as the Tulbagh valley) were not studied separately and in depth and neither were the results and impacts addressed adequately on a local level. We feel strongly that an EIA application should have been undertaken separately for each affected area and adjudicated on the impact of the line on a localised basis i.e. for the Tulbagh valley only. We believe that should the EIA have been done on this basis, it would have failed dismally in respect of the Tulbagh valley, as well as in other localised areas affected by the line.
We believe that Eskom has taken the most cost effective route for them, without due regards to the well-being of this community and that of our neighbouring communities and that Eskom has not adequately considered other options of power generation in the Western Cape as an alternative to the Power Line.
It is considered that this Power Line infringes on our Constitutional Rights both in terms of our property rights, as well as in terms of the protection of minorities, as the residents of Tulbagh most certainly are.
We request that you consider this motivation favourably to either;
Prevent the Power Line from traversing this valley,
or, if Eskom is intent upon pursuing its aim of traversing this valley with the Power Line, that Eskom be forced to undertake an adequate and comprehensive community participation process,
Cause Eskom to undertake an Environmental Impact Assessment study on the impact of this line on particularly the Tulbagh valley as an entity and apart from the other areas they are intending to traverse,
That you cause Eskom to place the Power Line underground or re-route it elsewhere.
Thanking you in anticipation of your kind considerations,
Yours faithfully,
John A Veschini
Chairperson ETLAC
Copy : Municipal Manager Witzenberg Municipality
Annexures:
Diagram of a typical Power Line support pylon
Latest Eskom proposed route map
Graphical examples of a similar Power Lines in Europe and elsewhere which illustrate graphically their visual impact on the countryside.
