"I have seen diggers lifting large amounts of sand into the air while the gale-force south-easter was blowing. There has been no effort to hose down or cover the exposed areas where natural vegetation has been removed. You can physically see the plumes of sand in the air. This is no longer a manageable situation, and we need a resolution as soon as possible."

Jacqui Middleton, another resident, shared similar frustrations but also questioned what solutions were possible.

"There is a lot of dust all over our brand-new floors. We were thinking about what they could do about it. If they put up a physical barrier along their wall, it’s not going to help that much because it’s so windy here, and they’re working on top of a hill. Dampening the mounds they’re digging with water might help, but that’s such a waste of water. It’s not really up to us to find solutions," she said.

The City of Cape Town said dust control measures depend on the type of development.

"Since an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) was required for this project, the developer must follow an approved Environmental Management Programme (EMPr), which includes dust control measures. Compliance is monitored by an independent Environmental Control Officer, and enforcement falls under the Provincial Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning," the City said.

Despite residents’ complaints, the City stated that its Specialised Environmental Health – Air Quality Management Unit has not received any formal dust-related complaints about this development.

The City said developers are expected to comply with national and municipal regulations, including the Building Standards Act and the City’s Air Quality Management Bylaw.

"If a site is found to be non-compliant, authorities can issue compliance notices, fines, or even take legal action. Developers are required to take steps to limit dust, and in some cases, air quality monitoring can be enforced as part of a Dust Management Plan," the City added.

According to the City’s mayoral committee member for spatial planning and environment, Eddie Andrews, the only approved plans for erf 17787, Fish Hoek, are for garaging and a perimeter wall— work that typically would not generate significant dust.

"However, civil work, such as site preparation and service installation, is currently under way, which may be causing the issue. The City’s Building Inspectorate has been alerted and will investigate any potential unauthorised building work," he said.

Residents say they are hoping for immediate dust mitigation measures, including wetting down the area or covering exposed sand, to be put in place before the issue worsens.

The developer acknowledged the Echo's inquiry but did not respond at the time of going to print.

Residents can report dust concerns to the Provincial Environmental Management Inspectorate or the City’s Building Inspectorate. Complaints can also be sent to the City’s Air Quality Management Unit at AirQuality.Support@capetown.gov.za.

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Capri residents raise concerns over dust from construction site