Residents Call for Transparency, Emergency-risk Disclosures as Demonstration Planned for 6 December
Reporter – George April
Cape Town – Tensions are rising as Blaauwberg residents accuse the City of Cape Town of pushing ahead with the Big Bay Local Spatial Development Framework (LSDF) without revealing key evacuation and emergency-risk information for the Koeberg Nuclear Emergency Planning Zone.
The Community Representation for Blaauwberg (CRB) has urged residents, civil-society organisations, and the media to join a public demonstration on Saturday, 6 December, from 10:00 to 11:00 at Erf 1117, situated at the corner of Big Bay Boulevard and the R27 near Table Bay Mall.
Evacuation Models, Risk Assessments Withheld – Community Says It Violates the Law
Following two formal submissions to the City – on 10 and 11 November – the CRB argues that the LSDF is being steamrolled ahead without meeting basic legal obligations.
According to the group, the City has refused to disclose the Koeberg Traffic Evacuation Model (TEM) or any evidence that 10,000 – 25,000 new residents could safely evacuate the area during a nuclear emergency.
The Disaster Management Act and the Municipal Planning By-law both require proof of evacuation feasibility and adequate disaster-management infrastructure before strategic development plans can be approved, not later at project stage.
The CRB states that this omission alone renders the LSDF process “unlawful, unsafe, and procedurally defective.”
City’s Response Called “Maladministration”
The City’s reply to the first submission was dismissed as “premature,” while the second submission, which identified structural contradictions and statutory failures, has gone unanswered.
The CRB says the silence, combined with the City’s refusal to provide reference numbers to most residents who submitted comments, casts doubt on the integrity of the entire public-participation process.
“It is extremely concerning that 85% of commentors have not even received acknowledgement of their submissions,” the group said. “How can public participation be meaningful if residents don’t receive reference numbers or proof that their objections were received?”
Biodiversity and Quality-of-Life Concerns
The CRB warns that the draft LSDF proposes building directly over Critical Biodiversity Areas (CBA1a) and Ecological Support Areas (ESA1), conflicting with conservation laws, specialist studies, and the UNESCO West Coast Biosphere Reserve status.
Residents fear that a profit-driven Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model could lead to:
- overcrowding
- inadequate schools and services
- poor-quality construction
- collapsing property values
- long-term costs for ratepayers
“We Are Not Against Development – We Are Against Unsafe Development”
In a statement, CRB Chairperson Michelle Collins said:
“We are fighting for a lawful LSDF – one that is safety-led, transparent, and appropriately scaled to fit existing communities. Housing does not trump safety, the law, the environment, tourism, or the rights of residents who already live here.”
With the City unwilling to address the community’s concerns, the CRB is escalating the matter to the Public Protector, the National Nuclear Regulator, and, if required, the courts.
Public Participation Deadline: 12 December
The CRB is urging residents to submit objections before the deadline:
📧 blaauwberg.districtsdf@capetown.gov.za
📧 erf1117comments@gmail.com
A Change.org petition has also been launched, calling for the LSDF to be suspended and redrafted.
Rally Details
- Date: Saturday, 6 December 2025
- Time: 10:00–11:00
- Location: Erf 1117, corner of Big Bay Boulevard & R27 (Table Bay Mall)
