“This project appears to be short-sighted and politically motivated. “Putting turbines so close to such a critical bat roost will wipe out these bats and is totally unacceptable.”

Although the slit-faced bat is not listed as a threatened species, White said the Bluff military base colony was one of the largest maternity roosts in the wind generatos country for the species, and the turbines posed a major threat.

Durban was also an important foraging area for the large-eared free-tailed bat (Otomops martienssen), a more vulnerable bat species restricted to the coast between Ballito and Port Shepstone.

Dhrochand said his department had contacted the national Environmental Affairs Department and was advised that a full EIA was not needed.

However, as responsible government, we decided to engage all relevant stakeholders and we will have an environmental management plan to deal with and mitigate potential impacts.”

He acknowledged that the department faced a tight schedule if it hoped to get the wind  turbines running before the conference.

The concrete bases, which have yet to be laid, require about 27 days to cure.

Obviously we would like to have them up before COP 17, but if there are serious issues, we will have to re-examine this… at the end of the day it might be a case of having just one.

He said Bremen had donated four turbines to Durban as part of a scheme to share experience in renewable energy technologies.