Joint E2A and RCCPE Press release to the Save Robberg Petition

In response to the citizen-driven “Save Robberg” petition, which has gained significant traction in Plettenberg Bay and beyond, the Robberg Coastal Corridor Protected Environment (RCCPE) and the Eden to Addo Corridor Initiative (E2A) would like to clarify their stance on the proposed developments and the potential impacts in the area.

We heartily acknowledge and appreciate the petition’s success in raising public awareness about the risks of high-density development adjoining the Corridor and Robberg Nature Reserve, as well as the petition’s role in fostering widespread community support for the conservation of Plettenberg Bay’s iconic and much-loved peninsula. Robberg and the incredible Wildside coastline are integral to Plett, our tourism and our communal sense of place.

For transparency, we would like to clarify that we are not the authors of this petition and to avoid any confusion, we wish to clearly outline our position on this important issue.

The RCCPE was founded by E2A, CapeNature, SANParks and a group of conservation-minded private landowners, in response to the critical need to protect and restore the last ecological lifeline that sustains biodiversity on the Robberg Peninsula.

The Mission of the RCCPE, therefore, is to establish, maintain and sustain this vital ecological corridor that connects the Garden Route National Park to the Robberg Nature Reserve, a renowned World Heritage Site. “This is being achieved through active conservation management and the protection of internationally recognised cultural heritage sites, as well as establishing a world-class multi-day hiking trail, the Inqua Trail”, explained Dr Morkel Pienaar, Chairman of the RCCPE.

The Corridor is comprised of a network of private landowners who collaborate through the RCCPE NPO to manage the land based on biodiversity principles, land restoration and sustainable livelihoods. This network of private land is legally protected through CapeNature and the NEMPA Act.

This magnificent coastal corridor is home and ‘highway’ to exceptionally diverse animals such as aardvark, leopard, caracal, baboon, otter and nesting birds, as well as rare flowers and critically endangered fynbos species. The free movement of such wildlife is crucial to natural processes such as seed dispersal and predator-prey interactions, to build greater resilience in the face of human and climatic pressures.

Therefore, any development that borders on to the Corridor should be hyper-sensitive to the impact it will have on this last thin strip of corridor land and lifeline to so many species. “Any development should indeed be in keeping with the sense of place, which is one of natural beauty and incredible diversity,” added Rhian Berning, CEO of Eden to Addo Corridor Initiative. High-density developments will have severe impacts on the water systems, endangered plants, light and noise pollution, ecotourism and all the wildlife in this last strip of wilderness. 

The RCCPE welcomes the collaboration of new landowners who are declaring their land as protected areas and forming part of the Protected Environment, including Ballywood, the new owners of the former Plett Park property. Their property constitutes a crucial linkage that contributes to the functionality of the Corridor and supports wildlife movement and fynbos conservation. The RCCPE looks forward to collaborating with the new landowners and working together to restore the land back to its original pristine state, thereby leaving a legacy of a thriving nature corridor for future generations to benefit from.

The RCCPE and E2A did, however, raise objections to the current application to develop the top half of the property, ERF 8010, due to the high-density nature of the development. Both organisations are beholden to their legal mandate to protect and restore eco-corridors, which benefit both people and biodiversity, and there were many reservations about the long-term impacts of the development on ecosystems, sensitive species and the very functionality of the corridor and its ability to continue as a lifeline to the iconic Robberg Peninsula. An application was also made to extend the existing Plett Park development on the southern portion of the property (Ptn 76). If both these applications were to be successful, the functional width of the Corridor would be reduced to a chokepoint of approximately 50 m, due to the nature of the local geography and the extent of the new proposed developments from both sides.

All objections by RCCPE, E2A, Plett Environmental Forum, neighbours and other affected parties have been submitted, and the Environmental Assessment Practitioner is now finalising the specialist reports. The Environmental Impact Assessment will then be made available for public comment as required by Section 24L of the Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations of the National Environmental Management Act.

If development is absolutely required in this area, we, as RCCPE and E2A, would rather imagine a Grootbos model, with low-impact housing built in keeping with the natural environment, with income generation through ecotourism and plant propagation, with education and learning hubs, with natural corridors and green belts running through the development for habitat for birds and all the other diverse life. This could become an iconic institution for Plett, a model of best practice for other developments and would leave a lasting legacy not only for human generations to come but for all the life that calls Robberg and the greater Plett area home.

We believe in the power of dialogue to achieve a vision that future generations will be proud of. The RCCPE remains committed to engaging constructively with all stakeholders – residents, conservationists, developers and decision-makers alike – to find solutions that balance progress with ecological protection, restoration and regeneration. Our shared future depends on collaborative efforts that honour the cultural and environmental significance of this extraordinary place.

For more information, contact:

Morkel Pienaar 082 327 7339

Robberg Coastal Corridor Protected Environment NPO