For the past three months, residents of Paradise Beach in Jeffreys Bay have endured excessive noise and air pollution caused by construction vehicles operating on a vacant plot on Immergroen Avenue, raising widespread concern.
Meanwhile, Nu Plant, a local earthworks company, has defended their activities and announced that construction of a complex will begin soon.
Resident Bettie Fischer stated that the use of the land by construction vehicles has led to noise and air pollution, and the frequent transportation of sand to and from the area has caused distress within the community.
Although she is aware of developmental plans for the vacant land, which the community supports, she said that the frequent sand transportation has caused safety concerns and traffic disturbances.
Fischer further said that she initially believed that the sand was going to be used for the development of the vacant land; however, she later discovered that it was being used for other projects instead.
“There are many elderly people staying in Paradise Beach, and the movement of the construction vehicles is a safety concern, especially for those who do not have vehicles and have to walk to the shop nearby,” said Fischer.
She mentioned that the disruptions caused by sand transportation occur intermittently, but on busy days, they can persist for several hours.
Fischer expressed concern that the persistent sand transportation is causing sand to infiltrate nearby residences.
“They also need to stop removing the sand and replacing it with new sand. Instead, they should only leave the sand that will be used for the development of the land,” said Fischer.
Michelle Haynes, Fischer’s daughter-in-law and a local resident, expressed similar concerns regarding the construction on the vacant land, citing the community’s lack of understanding about the project’s purpose and expected outcomes.
“No information has been shared with residents, and we have been battling to find out what is going on and why sand is being dumped and then transported again,” said Haynes.
She said that they decided to live in Paradise Beach because it is a quiet place away from the busy town, but now they feel as though they live in an industrial area.
Riaan Kolesky, representing Nu Plant, confirmed that the construction of a complex on Immergroen Avenue will commence in January 2025, following the successful completion of all requisite approvals, including public participation.
“We have already started levelling the land before laying the foundation for the complex. However, the construction of the building will officially begin in January,” said Kolesky.
He explained that, pending the January 2025 construction start, Nu Plant has utilised the vacant Immergroen Avenue land to temporarily store sand, as well as their construction vehicles required for local road repairs, as part of a contractual agreement with the main contractor for Kouga Municipality.
Kolesky said that Nu Plant is currently repairing roads in Paradise Beach but will soon begin repairing a road near Jeffreys Bay Primary School and roads in Hankey thereafter.
He further outlined Nu Plant’s development strategy for the Immergroen Avenue vacant land, which entails the phased construction of six homes at a time within the complex, with an anticipated project completion timeline of two years.
