Seaweed harvesters packed like sardines on bakkies
Kelp company says transport contractor under investigation
Some residents in and around Birha near Hamburg are up in arms over the fact that despite lockdown, dozens of seaweed harvesters from outside the area are being bused into the small seaside hamlet, illegally packed like sardines on the back of bakkies.
Although the company, Gansbaai-based Taurus Cape Kelp, has the requisite permit from the department of agriculture, forestry & fisheries (DAFF) to send in employees to harvest seaweed, some residents feel the way they are being transported is unfair to both the workers and those who live in the area.
“We have not had a single case of Covid-19 here,” said a local resident who asked not to be named. She said the people being brought in were not local to the area.
“We have no idea where they are from. They are being transported packed in the back of bakkies with zero physical distancing and many of them without masks. Several that do have masks are wearing them around their necks. This is not fair to us and it’s not fair to them.”
She said police had initially stopped the vehicles coming in but after ascertaining they had the required lockdown permits to work appeared to look past the way they were being transported.
In terms of current regulations minibus taxis and buses can only carry passengers at 70% licensed loading capacity and physical distancing, sanitising and masks are required.
A five-seater vehicle, for example, may carry no more than two passengers and a driver.
In this case more than a dozen people could be counted packed onto the back of a bakkie.
Taurus executive director Adéle Geldenhuys has distanced the company from the issue and said it had taken it up with the contractor concerned.
She declined to name the contractor but said the matter was “under investigation”.
Taurus holds a long-term harvesting right issued by DAFF to sustainably harvest seaweed such as kelp, brown seaweed and red algae for commercial use, including for the farming and food industry.
“Taurus has taken this issue up with its contractor and the matter is under investigation. At the beginning of the lockdown period Taurus clearly communicated the rules and processes to follow during Covid-19 to all staff and contractors.”
She believes the contractor’s harvesters are contracted from local communities for the harvesting period and are, for the most part, people from the same local village and families.
“A full investigation has been lodged and the contractor has to account for any improper behaviour.”
She said the way the staff were packed into the bakkies was “unacceptable to Taurus and will form part of the investigation.”