Did Kouga Municipality keep it quiet anticipating objections?
Interesting that the slipway at Grannies Pool has been shut down without notice or reason. It seems the Kouga Municipality has purposely kept this quiet with no press release on their website nor distributed to the media other than the Kouga Express who do seem to be at the top of their list for press releases.
The following was published in the Express last week
“KOUGA Municipality is in the process of re-registering two boat launching sites for the public.
Community Services Portfolio Councillor Daniel Benson said that a recent audit, conducted by the Department of Economic Development, Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEDEAT), revealed that the previous municipal leadership had failed to ensure that Kouga’s boat launching sites comply with the National Environmental Management: Integrated Coastal Management Act 24 of 2008.
“Among the concerns were that there are no ablution facilities or access control at the existing sites. We also suspect that the sites are being used for illegal activities such as poaching,” he said.
He said the municipality was addressing the concerns as a matter of urgency.
It continues
“No comments or objections were received. We are, therefore, now in the process of registering and promulgating these two sites in the Provincial Government Gazette,” Benson explained.
Difficult to object if nobody knows about it.
We have received an explanation as to why the slipway was closed and it makes total sense. More on the subject tomorrow.
Close a slipway thats been there for 45 years because it has no toilet – Brilliant ! Well done DA !!!
… and I am sure there must be 50 other fantastical reasons to destroy, rather than improve the value of the town.
I am sorry to stick my neck out on this (well not really)…
To my knowledge, Harbour Road slip way has always been free! It would be interesting to see if the new proposed site(s) is/are in the Canal areas?
This could mean that the SRA proposals would benefit from this as the Canal area would have “Monopoly” over launching sites. You need to pay to launch! Funding to pay for the Canals, Spit, Beaches etc?
If you cannot get the funding from the community you need for something, then the first thing you do is cut off the free services offered! People are then “forced” / obligated to use what YOU offer them meaning that they have to pay for the services that used to be free. Sounds exactly how a Mafia works… Are we being secretly controlled by a mafia?
It is going to be very interesting to read the article tomorrow and see the “exact” reasons why.
Amazing how some of you do not read properly. The article is quite clear that this was instigated by the DEDEAT and NOT the DA. Secondly the Council is in the process of registering the slipways in order to comply with the law and keep them open. Constructive criticism and proactive assistance to solve community problems is what we need – not arm chair critics.
This was all very well timed to coincide with the forthcoming holiday season. As the owner of a boat used for recreation in the sea and on the river [Legally registered with the responsible authorities] I noticed that the slipway open to public use on Shore road was closed weeks ago, well before the the notice was published regarding slipways. There is a toilet facility at the Cove which serves the area and there is one at the Grannies Pool area so those supposed reasons for closing the slipways don’t wash. To my knowledge the Shore Rd slipway does not fall under DEDEAT. This does beg the question, are we all being strong-armed to the Canal Slipway and the Harbour. There was absolutely no notification regarding closure of the two slipways only a notice in the local paper stating that there would be proposals in respect of slipways which were being submitted to the province for gazetting. We were then expected to go to Jeffreys Bay to view them.The proposals were not published in the local papers or copies placed at the various municipal offices or notices posted at the slipway areas, which is what any responsible local authority would have done. This process was as transparent as mud.
Whether the process of communication could have been better or not , it would not have changed the outcome as it is externally driven by legislation. Rather vent your frustration on the government that has promulgated first world laws in a third world country!!
The river mouth exit is difficult even to an experienced boater. On a low tide it’s extremely dangerous with unseen rocks heavy breakers and a strong current. Many lives were lost when the chokka fleet had to navigate the mouth and this wasn’t holiday makers it was weather hardened seaman with years of experience who lost their lives.