A Waterkloof helipad has been dismantled after safety concerns and community opposition.
Image: Supplied/City of Tshwane
The owner of a paved area in Waterkloof, initially intended as a private helipad but never used, has demolished the structure at the City of Tshwane's instruction due to a lack of official authorisation.
The City’s new administration had discovered the paved area in February, expressing surprise at its existence and deeming it an unauthorised helipad, leading to its subsequent demolition.
Businessman Arnold Pistorius proposed the Waterkloof site as a helipad in 2016, but it was never used for that purpose.
He reportedly said the facility was intended to facilitate business travel and provide emergency landing options for the surrounding community.
Following his proposal the then-Tshwane administration granted conditional approval, however, the project stalled after Waterkloof Primary School declined to grant consent due to safety concerns.
The unauthorised helipad was located opposite the school at the intersection of Julius Jeppe and Crown Streets.
In a social media video clip, Pistorius showed his team demolishing the paved area and he could be heard saying that the City threatened to cancel the primary school's lease if the area, used by locals for parking, was not destroyed.
He also mentioned that the parking area was used by the learners' parents and by the gym next door.
Taking a swipe at the municipality, he said: “In the meantime, our main street is full of potholes and nobody is making a sensible decision here. Unfortunately this is what is happening.”
Kholofelo Morodi, Member of the Mayoral Committee for Corporate and Shared Services, said the metro discovered the paved area early this year and deemed it an unauthorised structure.
After the February discovery, she said: “The unauthorised helipad, located near a school and within a wetland behind the Waterkloof Tennis Club, poses serious safety, environmental and legal concerns.”
She explained that the environmental impact on the wetland, as well as the safety risks to residents, particularly schoolchildren in the area, are deeply concerning.
Morodi confirmed that an illegal private helipad built on municipal land has been demolished, saying the outcome demonstrates that in Tshwane, unlawful conduct is met with swift and decisive action.
“The dismantling of the illegal helipad restores the integrity of our municipal land, protects the sensitive wetland environment, and ensures the safety of nearby schools and residents,” she said.
She stressed action by the city also reaffirms that Tshwane is a city governed by law, order, and respect for public spaces.
"Municipal land belongs to the residents of Tshwane. It must be protected, respected, and managed with the public’s interest in mind. The dismantling of this illegal helipad sends a clear message: no illegal occupation or misuse of public property will be tolerated by this multiparty coalition government," she said.
rapula.moatshe@inl.co.za