Neglected harbours place lives at risk
RECREATIONAL, commercial and small-scale fishermen in Struisbaai fear their neglected harbour is putting their livelihoods and lives of sea rescue victims at risk while authorities drag their feet with crucial maintenance.
Locals say their harbour is in a state of disrepair to the extent it has become dangerous to launch and retrieve vessels, due to sand invasion.
With promises of upgrading and unlocking the potential of the small harbours under the banner of national government’s project, Operation Phakisa, all but fading away, the Suidpunt Deep Sea Angling club is now spearheading a campaign on behalf of locals to get authorities to maintain their harbour.
Locals claim even rescue services are concerned about the condition of the harbour after they struggled to launch during a training exercise last week.
The Suidpunt Deep Sea Angling club said it had been battling for years to get the relevant authorities to upgrade and maintain the Struisbaai harbour.
According to Paul van Niekerk, one jetty had been cordoned off because it was on the brink of collapse, while most boats had to launch at least two hours after low tide to avoid the risk of having their vessels damaged due to the “sanding up” of the harbour caused by a lack of dredging.
“Only one of three slipways is usable due to sand invasion, but the slipway itself is difficult to access and badly designed with a high risk to trailers, wheels, tyres. Cars suffer problems to gearboxes and clutches and the boats suffer broken or damaged propellers as well as gear box damage to the engines itself,” Van Niekerk said.
Resident Wimpie Theron said the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) had trouble recovering its boat during a training exercise last week and a tractor had to be brought in to tow the 4X4 out of the sand.
Theron was concerned about what would happen in an emergency situation during low tide when it would take longer to launch a big rescue vessel because its engines could only be fired up in deeper water.
The NSRI’s Craig Lambinon said one of the slipways was marginally affected by the natural occurrence of “sanding up” in the harbour, but other slipways in the vicinity were not affected.
“It’s quite normal for this to happen from time to time at harbours and around any coastline.
“Harbour authorities in Struisbaai are addressing this matter,” he said.
But Struisbaai locals are not convinced, saying ahead of the festive season when there is an influx of visitors, rescue call-outs during a spring low tide would affect the big rescue vessel launching from the harbour, putting lives at risk.
“During super spring tide, like the one that occurred two weeks ago, there will physically not be enough water in the harbour to get their 8.5m rescue boat off the trailer,” another resident said.
The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries had not responded by the time of going to print.