Surf’s up in JBay — along with tempers
South African superstar surfer makes waves in Jeffreys Bay property row
● South African surfing ace Jordy Smith shreds waves faster than most people shred cabbage.
Unfortunately the shredding doesn’t stop there, according to the Kouga municipality, which has objected to landscape work at Smith’s Jeffreys Bay home — which overlooks the world-famous Supertubes surf spot — after complaints from residents.
The dispute relates to the clearing of coastal dunes to make way for gabions — wire mesh containers filled with stones or other materials — and terraced lawn overlooking the Eastern Cape town’s famed breakers. The municipality this week confirmed the work did not have the necessary authorisation, though it appears Smith may not have been aware he was breaking the law.
The 37-year-old pro recently bought the upmarket property in the Supertubes area, considered a global surfing mecca and home to one of the world’s pro-surf competitions.
Concerns about the Smith property form part of a broader Jeffreys Bay tussle over development in the Supertubes and Surfer’s Point areas, which used to be a pristine dune belt before the concrete mixers moved in. Rapid urbanisation, in some cases on top of the dunes, has coincided with a climate change-driven increase in storm surges which is making the dunes more unstable. It’s an unhappy combination of factors causing both homeowner anxiety and environmental concerns.
Kouga’s temporary halt to all dune work in the Supertubes area appears to be related to the multiple complaints about several recent and ongoing projects. This week bulldozers were photographed “grading” the beach.
“After the Kouga municipality was made aware of the activities, we spoke to the contractor appointed by the landowner
[and said] the work undertaken can’t continue, that there is specific authorisation that is needed for any work in that area,” Kouga executive mayor Hattingh Bornman confirmed this week.
The municipality had then informed the department of forestry, fisheries & the environment (DFFE), Bornman said. “DFFE did an inspection to ensure compliance with the law. All activities were stopped, and no heavy equipment is currently working on the beach doing any further work in that area.”
Smith, who hails from Durban and is currently ranked fourth in the World Surf League Championship Tour, was unavailable for comment this week as he was in transit on his way back from a surfing competition in Portugal, according to his Californiabased agent.
The contractor working at Smith’s property, Newport Civils, declined to comment on the work at the property. However, the company confirmed it had also been involved in a broader dune-stabilisation project necessitated by major erosion caused by a storm surge in September last year.
“Newport Civils, under the supervision of the Kouga municipality and a section 30A directive, has completed a number of coastal rehabilitation projects along the coastline in Jeffreys Bay over the past few months. The
August/September 2023 storm surges caused significant damage to the coastline as well as municipal and private property,” Newport director Donovan Zoetmulder said.
“After careful consideration and research into the specific methods used we hope the completed works will protect these areas from further erosion from future rough seas and storm surges.”
Several Jeffreys Bay residents this week voiced concern about escalating human impact on the dunes, which they claim includes property improvements under the guise of emergency dune work. The residents requested anonymity on account of a “toxic” atmosphere and angry confrontations over the “rehab” work in a town once considered hippy surfer heaven.
While some accuse seaside property owners of “overreach”, affected landowners
insist the work is not merely cosmetic; it is needed to prevent structural damage caused by dune movement and erosion. Smith’s own house is one of those affected by dune subsidence, the Sunday Times has established, but it is nevertheless considered one of the coast’s prime properties. It was previously owned by Billabong founder Gordon Merchant, according to WinDeed records.
The municipality did not clarify whether the contractor had been instructed to rehabilitate any unauthorised dune work.
The DFFE this week confirmed it had conducted a site inspection after a complaint late last year to its environmental management inspectorate, known as the Green Scorpions
“There have been multiple complaints about multiple projects regarding the work on our beaches without proper permissions in place,” said one resident. “This is home to some of the world’s best waves and some of the biggest [surfing] events — that is why we are sensitive about it.”
He said the Kouga municipality needed to improve its communication regarding projects that impacted on public spaces: “There’s no transparency or public participation — that is the biggest gripe we’ve got.”
Opinion appears divided over whether Smith should shoulder some of the blame for work at his property. “Just pulling in and wanting to plant grass on a sensitive dune, it is just not on. But personally I just think he was misinformed,” one source said.
However, another local stakeholder spoke of an apparent “vendetta” against Smith. “Localism is a big thing in JBay and local surfers don’t like outsiders, especially those who can surf better than them,” he said.
Storm surge damage and environmental “encroachment” are two recurring themes affecting South African coastal management. A City of Cape Town audit of its 240km coastline found more than 200 illegal encroachments, among them lawns, decks, trampolines, sea defence structures, pools and restaurant areas.
But global sea level rise linked to climate change of around 3.5mm a year, combined with increasingly regular storm surges, is forcing authorities and private land-owners to protect their coastal property. A South African research group recently surveyed the nearby tourist towns of Cape St Francis and St Francis Bay, which have also experienced widespread storm surge damage.
One Jeffreys Bay resident with experience in the environmental sector said extreme weather should not be used as an excuse for lawless behaviour.
“Extreme weather events are becoming more common. What is the point of the government even having rules about environmental impact assessments when beachfront property owners can just wait until the next extreme tide and then do whatever they want in public spaces?” the source said.