Stellenbosch, Western Cape – The Cape Independence Party (CAPEXIT) has revealed evidence of what it calls an “environmental crime” in the Botmaskop Nature Area, implicating Stellenbosch Municipality officials in allegedly authorizing illegal developments on protected land. The case, laid with SAPS by CAPEXIT’s Head of Environmental Portfolio Committee, Leon Lourens, accuses Municipal Manager Geraldine Mettler of allowing roads, sewer lines, and other infrastructure to be constructed without legally required environmental approvals.
The criminal case alleges unauthorized construction of roads, fences, water reticulation, and sewer lines on Erf 18720 and adjacent municipal properties (RE/333 and RE/3363), part of the Cape Winelands Biosphere Reserve and a declared Mountain Catchment Area.
These activities, allegedly conducted without required Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) or approvals, have encroached on fragile ecosystems classified as Critical Biodiversity Areas 1 and 2. Photographic evidence attached to the Louren’s affidavit shows the alleged eradication of topsoil and
habitats, exacerbating threats to endangered species such as the Vulnerable Moraea villosa (Peacock Moraea), Endangered Aristea lugens, Endangered Geissorhiza erosa (Winelands Satin Flower), and Vulnerable Moraea versicolor (Winelands Clockflower).
Lourens, a 33-year veteran in Western Cape biodiversity conservation, emphasized the urgency: “As someone deeply familiar with Stellenbosch’s protected areas, I’ve witnessed the alleged irreversible damage firsthand. Under Mettler’s watch, threatened ecosystems have allegedly been wiped out, violating NEMBA Regulations 51 and 52, which mandate protection for species at risk of extinction. This isn’t just
negligence—it’s a crime against our natural heritage, allegedly allowing private developers to encroach on public land without accountability.”
Councillor Bodin, joining Lourens in a video statement, called for immediate action: “This scandal exposes the failures of local governance in safeguarding our environment. Botmaskop is a buffer to the Hottentots-Holland Nature Reserve and home to globally significant endemic species—yet it’s allegedly being sacrificed for illegal infrastructure. CAPEXIT demands a full investigation, Mettler’s resignation, and
restoration of these areas. Stellenbosch residents, and indeed Western Cape residents, deserve a government that protects our biodiversity, not destroys it for alleged profit.”
The CAPEXIT Party urges the public, media, and authorities to demand justice, including compliance with the Conservation of Agricultural Resources Act (CARA) and Western Cape Nature Conservation Ordinance. Failure to act risks further degradation of this Endangered Boland Granite Fynbos and Critically Endangered Cape Winelands Shale Fynbos.
Link to video interview: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/16DQKdWLZD/
The CAPEXIT Party is an IEC-registered political party dedicated to achieving the peaceful, democratic independence of the Western Cape. Guided by self-determination, non-racialism, and accountable governance, it works to empower citizens to take control of their future through unity, transparency, and freedom.