Update

PLETTENBERG BAY NEWS - The proposed venue for this year's Plett Rage, the sewerage works at Gansevallei, has caused a flurry of objections from residents, including the Plett Ratepayers' Association.

The health threat from harmful bacteria has been highlighted in a report by water expert Bill Alexander, but the main objection against hosting the Rage at Bitou Municipality's wastewater treatment works, is that it would be 'illegal'. 

Alexander, the engineer who originally designed the extensions to the plant and monitors it in consultation with municipal officials, has determined that the maturation ponds have filled with sludge and are contaminating the final effluent.

Warning signs

"At the very least, the sludge will have to be removed from the first pond and spread onto the field that is being proposed as the Rage venue. This will need to be done as a matter of urgency. It will not be safe to have the public exposed to the sludge disposal field, nor to use it for any other purpose than what it is intended for," states the report which has been handed to Bitou Mayor Dave Swart.

Alexander's report said the guidelines provided in the licence for sludge management on the site, stipulates that there should be no public access. 

"The fact that the fields (on which Rage participants will be camping) have recently been covered with sludge means holding the matric Rage on this site would be in contravention of the plant operating licence… and should not be considered under any circumstances," said Alexander's report, indicating that the Ratepayers' Association have also strongly objected.

The municipality has erected strict warning signs at the entrance to the Gansevallei site. "Public access must be restricted at all disposal sites while the site is in operation and three years after closure.

"This management practice minimises public contact with pollutants, including pathogens that may be present in the sludge."

The gate at Gansevallei contains several warnings.

The area surrounding the Bitou Wastewater Treatment Works in Plett.

Various concerns

Another objection raised by residents has been the control of traffic at the dangerous intersection of the N2 highway and the Keurbooms Lagoon Caravan Park as well as at Old Nick Village. 

Traditionally many minibus taxis transport partygoers to and from activities held at Central Beach in town, increasing the traffic flow. Furthermore, a commercial entertainment site so close to neighbourhoods will have a negative impact on residents.

Health aspects that include bad odours, symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, respiratory problems and the potential to contract e-coli and other pathogens present in sewe rage, have been highlighted in objections.

The report by ratepayers was personally handed to Swart by Ratepayers' Association executive member, Oliver Rissik, at a report back meeting for Swart's Ward 2 on Wednesday 23 August.

Swart indicated that the process to find a site for the popular and tourist-promoting Rage events in December and January had started early this year, "to prevent any last-minute decisions". 

He told the meeting he would follow up on the situation and said it was possible that the report had served at the portfolio committee responsible for processing the application.

Photos: Chris van Gass

Application for land use

On 17 August a notice was published by Bitou Municipality indicating that Planning Space had applied for a temporary land use departure to hold the Rage in December.

The application was for Plett Rage with events from 2 December to 7 December. A second Plett season commences on 29 December with concerts by Jeremy Loops and Wanderbay on 31 December, ending at 02:00. The final date for public comment is 16 September.

Following representations made to the municipality by concerned resident Lynne Dean, a second notice was published to clarify the fact that the departure was for a five-year period operated in summer seasons only. Dean said: "The first advertisement was not transparent and did not indicate that the application was for a five-year period."

A spokesperson for Planning Space confirmed that the applicant has approached the municipality for the temporary land use departure at Gansevallei. Accordingly, Planning Space is currently working through the legal processes of the application.

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