Gonubie councillor out to thwart harbour plans

The thought of a harbour in the small seaside suburb of Gonubie has ward councillor André Swart riled up and collecting signatures in attempt to ensure it never happens.

This is despite the department of public works telling him in a letter, seen by the Dispatch, that while “the development of a small craft harbour in Gonubie was proposed as one of the 14 priority projects identified by the Eastern Cape province and coastal municipalities”, they had “not commenced with any planning for the development of a harbour in Gonubie nor has it commenced with any Environmental Impact Assessments [EIA]”.

This past weekend Swart had set up an information table opposite the Gonubie Hotel to inform residents about the possibility of a harbour and collect signatures against it.

He said that in just about an hour they had amassed over 400 signatures and would be out to collect more.

Swart said that were an EIA to be conducted and give the goahead for a harbour he would not be against it so long as it would be for recreational activities and be an overall benefit to Gonubie and would not damage the environment.

He said that he would be opposed to a harbour for commercial vessels as this would result in the industrialisation of Gonubie and be an overall negative for local residents.

Valerie Knoetze, who chairs the Gonubie Ratepayers Association, said ratepayers had objected to such a development for the past three years at municipal Integrated Development Plan meetings.

Both Swart and Knoetze expressed concern over foreign interests, specifically China, looking to use Gonubie as a point from which to launch fishing trawlers.

Queries sent to BCM and the department of public works were unanswered by the time of going to print yesterday.

He said that in just about an hour they had amassed over 400 signatures