Richard Machaba was duly delegated as Chairman of the meeting and he introduced his fellow delegates and then advised th  following :

• Whatever the Government undertakes, it does so in the interest of the people of South Africa.
  
   The importance of the meeting can be gauged by virtue of the high level of delegation which the Minister of Forestry has sent to attend it.
  
  The matter being discussed at the meeting is taken most seriously.
  
  He stated that consensus was needed for an amicable solution.
  
  The Department will not procrastinate on this matter and will seek early solution and he undertook that the Urban Forest Group delegation would hear from the Government delegates within the next 6 weeks.
  
  
  Despite MTO delegates not being present, the delegates representing Government would engage with them on the subject being dealt with.
  
   
  The Urban Protection Group then put their concerns to the Government delegation and handed in documentation drawn up by  various committee members .  UFPG put questions to the Forestry representatives as follows:
   
  No public participation of consultation process had been initiated.
   
  The decision does not comply with NEMA, nor with PAJA
   
  No EIA was carried out
   
  The exit lease agreement with Cape Timber Resources, a key factor in the decision, was made.without public bidding.
   
  MTO Forestry is opposed to the current programme.
   
  There has been a public outcry which has been expressed in Cape Media over the past 9 months .regarding this issue which is quite unacceptable both socially and also against the principles of ourConstitution. 

UFPG RESPECTFULLY REQUESTED THAT:
 
            1.         Clear-felling should be suspended
 
            2.         The agreement with CTR be investigated
 
 
UFPG addressed the delegates on biodiversity and the fact that SANPARKS chooses to ignore the qualification of sustainability. The most important point made by him was that whilst the Minister may have entered into a lease with  SANPARKS, the Minister had not abrogated her right to amend the conditions of the permit to conduct forestry industry on state land.
 
There was further discussion and the meeting ended on a good note with the parties agreeing that the matter was urgent in that tree-felling is continuing at a swift pace and that there was a danger that whilst we were discussing the next steps to be taken the public may be left with areas of the mountains laid bare with the dangers of soil erosion once the winter sets in.