Robben Island ferry decision reduced visits

ROBBEN Island Museum (RIM) believes its decision to stop using smaller ferry vessels was behind the decrease in the number of visitors.

This emerged when RIM chief executive Mava Dada briefed the Western Cape Provincial Parliament’s Standing Committee on Economic Opportunities, Tourism and Agriculture yesterday.

The museum, the South African Maritime Safety Authority (Samsa) and the National Department of Transport briefed the committee on the recommendations made following the incident where more than 68 passengers on board the chartered Robben Island ferry and crew had to be rescued last year.

The vessel was successfully retrieved when the National Sea Rescue Institute towed it to Murray’s Bay Harbour and stabilised it. Dada presented the range of implementations initiated by the museum, as recommended by Samsa to improve its ferry operations.

“RIM has stopped using vessels smaller than a certain size and this includes vessels classed less than 25 tons in the interim.

“Robben Island did not have a harbour master; two have been appointed who work on a shift basis and their responsibilities include weather monitoring and the safe berthing of vessels,” he said. RIM spokesperson Morongoa

Ramaboa said: “The annual visitor number for 2017/2018 was 328 814, an 11% decrease compared to the prior year’s 369 880.

“Until legislation regarding smaller vessels has been clearly defined by Samsa, we will stop utilising these vessels.”

Samsa Western Cape regional manager Gustav Louw said: “Our surveyors interviewed the skipper, crew and some of the passengers and ultimately found the error lay with the skipper.

“We have had positive and open co-operation with RIM, who have implemented our recommendations in terms of safety protocols and the appointment of the harbour masters.”

Louw said Samsa did not have a chief executive and hoped the committee would assist by informing their counterparts in the National Assembly to enable legislative changes.

The committee’s chairperson, Beverley Schäfer, said: “I will be writing to the National Minister of Transport, Blade Nzimande, to raise our concerns based on Sama’s recommendations and to fast-track legislative certainty for under 25 ton vessels. I will also raise with the minister the severe personnel shortage within Samsa, which hampers its operational capacity.”