Protests ‘damaging business and tourism’
Road blockades affect air school, other companies
ONGOING housing protests which have escalated in violence are damaging local business and tourism, according to stakeholders who spoke out this week.
TotT first received a call from an insider at 43 Air School who said the company that owns the air school was concerned about the ongoing protests and considering whether it was worth continuing operations in Port Alfred.
The air school has been one of the businesses hardest hit by a series of protests and blockades of the R67 at the air school turnoff, as staff and students have not been able to get to work and classes and operations have been disrupted.
But other businesses have also been affected by commuters not being able to travel on the R67 in and out of town.
Local estate agent Warwick Heny weighed in on the matter this week, in a letter he e-mailed to the Ward 10 committee and other local business people.
“As owner of a struggling business in a critically harsh economy climate, I wish to vent my anger and frustration at the ongoing issues of the informal settlement residents blocking roads and preventing access to the town,” Heny said.
“I am sure the residents have real and urgent issues and I feel for them, but they are severely damaging the fragile reputation of the town. What is being done to address these serious concerns of desperate people?”
Heny also mentioned the impact on 43 Air School, which was already hampered by a runway contract not being sorted out.
“Parents are now taking student pilots out of the school due to the road closures. Intake numbers for June have been affected already,” he said.
“We face a very real threat that the air school packs up and leaves, to a town that will welcome them with open arms. This will be disastrous for our town and the hundreds of families that benefit both directly and indirectly from them.
“We have already lost the jobs at the Fish River Sun, and between Stenden, Fish River Sun, and 43 Air School – these institutions make up the three largest industries in PA.
“Why does Ndlambe not simply donate the runway to 43 Air School? Ndlambe needs the air school far more than the air school needs Port Alfred and its officials, who lack the capacity to see the bigger picture.
“The residents blocking roads will not know this nor will they care, but times will be worse off for them also should our industries leave the area.”
Clinton Millard of MultiSecurity agreed that “things are starting to get out of hand now”.
Sunshine Coast Tourism chairman Rick Pryce said: “The protests are causing untold damage to our town and area.
“The locals are being targeted for non-delivery by state departments, which will directly affect the protesters in the long run. It is sadly a reflection of the way things are going in this country.”
Asked for the DA’s response to the protests, DA caucus leader and Ward 10 councillor Ray Schenk said: “While the Democratic Alliance recognises the right to peaceful protest, we do not approve of or encourage violent protest and damage to property in any form. Protests of this nature also impinge on the rights and freedom of movement of lawabiding citizens.
“We believe that through negotiation much more can be achieved. Having said that, we can empathise with those who are aggrieved, but in all cases the rule of law is supreme and must be upheld.
“Warwick [Heny] has some very valid points and I do believe that the Department of Human Settlements at provincial as well as national level are lax and dragging their feet on important housing issues, which is a frustration for communities seeking decent housing.
“I also agree that protests of the nature seen lately have a negative impact on tourism and investors looking for investment opportunities.
“It obviously also affects the confidence of local residents, ratepayers and business in the ability of the local municipality to manage these situations.”
43 Air School chief executive Attie Niemann was out of the country and unable to respond to TotT’s queries, but the air school’s Port Elizabeth-based marketing director Trevor Myburgh said: “It’s been negative for everyone. It’s blimming disruptive. Not good for the town.”