Heritage Cases

The Applicant, eThekwini Municipality Human Settlements Unit has proposed the establishment of a high density Municipal residential development on Portions 4 and 7 of Erf 2363, Kanku Road in Isipingo, eThekwini Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal. The proposed residential development site is located at GPS Coordinates 29°59’17.20”S and 30°55’19.83”E and is approximately 4ha in extent and is currently undeveloped. Portion 4 of Erf 2363 is zoned Public Open Space while Portion 7 is zoned Special Residential. The development will require the rezoning of both properties to Public Housing Reservation for the purpose of an infill Residential Housing Development and consolidation of both properties. The site is bordered by residential housing, the Primrose Primary School and the old Isipingo Cemetery. The historic Dick King Cemetery is also located approximately 90m to the east of the development site. The proposed development is aimed at providing housing for families currently living in a transit camp located 550m to the south of the proposed development site. The development will consist of semi-detached double story high density housing units. There will be 360 residential units with 50m2 floor space. All housing is proposed to have Municipal waterborne sewage, water and electricity, roads and stormwater infrastructure. Access to the development is proposed to be off Kanku Road via an entrance roundabout. Under natural conditions, the development site would have comprised subtropical coastal forest and bush of the KwaZulu-Natal Coastal Belt vegetation unit. However, the site has largely been transformed by urban sprawl and residential development. In terms of the KwaZulu-Natal Conservation Plan database, the site has been identified as falling within the KwaZulu-Natal Coastal Belt area which is classified as a Biodiversity Priority Area 1 (CBA 1). However, it has been identified that no forest, wetlands or other sensitive units remain on the proposed development site.