Fishermen fear beach criminals

ANGLERS on the Strandfontein coastline say they are becoming increasingly fearful because of criminal activity along the notorious stretch.

Police have also warned that the stretch is not safe.

When a group of fishermen met at Strandfontein Pavilion to discuss the crime problem recently, Keith Blake, a retired policeman from Ottery who has been fishing there for eight years, said about 15 men hadapproached fishermen on the beach.

“You suddenly just heard people grabbing their stuff and leaving the area… The fisherman are angry about this,” he said.

Blake was trying to spread the message that anglers should not operate alone in the area.

“The robbers go after the rods, anything,” he said. “There are also people we think are poachers.” On the Facebook group Cape Town Rock & Surf Fishing, the meeting was referred to as follows: “There’s a large number of fishermen that have been robbed and killed on our coasts, but there are also a larger group of anglers that would like to take a stand. We have decided to show our anger to these low lifes and have a mass meeting.”

Police spokesman Captain Frederick van Wyk said officers were aware of the situation, and that fishermen’s safety fears were valid.

caryn.dolley@inl.co.za