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Daily Maverick
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Maverick
Minister to remove wrecks from small harbours after fishers' outcry
Remove your wrecks or we will and charge you, Dion George tells boat owners. In many small fishing harbours derelict and abandoned vessels clog moorings, pose safety risks and symbolise decades of government inaction. After facing fierce criticism from fishing communities during his recent Fishing for Freedom imbizo, Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Dion George has announced urgent action to remove them. George said this week that his department, in partnership with the South African Maritime Safety Authority (Samsa), has initiated a clean-up campaign targeting wrecked vessels across several proclaimed fishing harbours. These include Hout Bay, Gordon's Bay, Lamberts Bay, Saldanha Bay and St Helena Bay. advertisement Don't want to see this? Remove ads Under the authority of the Wreck and Salvage Act, vessel owners have been served notice: remove your sunken boats by 16 June 2025 or the government will do so – at your expense. 'For too long, these derelict vessels have been a blight on our harbours, endangering our marine environment and the safety of those who rely on these waters,' George said in a statement. 'I am committed to reversing this legacy of neglect and ensuring our coastal infrastructure supports both environmental sustainability and economic prosperity.' A tipping point in Hout Bay The announcement comes less than a month after a stormy public imbizo in Hout Bay, where the minister was met with frustration, anger and desperation from fishers, harbour tenants and community leaders. The gathering, part of a nationwide tour to engage with coastal fishing communities, was meant to focus on fishing rights, but quickly turned into an informal referendum on government harbour neglect. advertisement Don't want to see this? Remove ads In Hout Bay harbour, the minister was greeted by the smell of raw sewage, sagging buildings and boats bobbing beside others that had already sunk. Entire sections of the quay wall were collapsing and critical infrastructure – from water and electricity supplies to slipways and lighting – was non-functional. Derelict warehouses like the Bluefin building stood abandoned, providing shelter for squatters and rodents rather than economic opportunity. Fishers and business owners accused the government of abdicating responsibility. Sean Walker, a prominent figure in the local fishing industry, delivered a blunt warning: 'We don't have much more time. This harbour is in a sorry state of repair. It's threatening not just businesses, but an entire working-class economy that's been holding on by its fingernails.' Long promises, little delivery Justin Strong, who heads the Hout Bay Harbour Tenants Association and runs the well-known seafood eatery Snoekies, echoed the sentiment. 'I've been attending meetings like this for 15 years,' he told the minister. 'We've had millions spent on feasibility studies and spatial frameworks. But nothing from those plans has been implemented. Not one thing.' Strong detailed how tenants were forced to install their own lighting, clean up rubbish at their own cost and attempt to secure areas where break-ins had become commonplace. 'We light up the parking lot with six spotlights because otherwise it's pitch-dark,' he said. 'There's no meaningful security. We've had three break-ins at Snoekies just this past month.' advertisement Don't want to see this? Remove ads As for the harbour's crumbling infrastructure, Strong pointed to a bureaucratic tug-of-war between the Department of Public Works and the Department of Fisheries, which has left maintenance efforts paralysed. 'Each says the other is responsible. Meanwhile, nothing gets fixed,' he said. advertisement Don't want to see this? Remove ads George acknowledged this confusion. 'I wasn't even sure myself who manages the toilets,' he commented to the crowd. He pledged to raise the issue directly with the minister of public works and proposed the creation of a liaison forum to ensure future communication is direct and accountable. But many in attendance were sceptical. Kobus Poggenpoel, a generational fisher from Kalk Bay, voiced frustration over the cycle of promises. 'Maybe setting up yet another forum may work, maybe not,' he said. 'Every year politicians come and talk about transformation and integration, but nothing happens.' A first step – or more talk? Against this backdrop, the announcement of the wreck removal campaign will be cautiously welcomed by harbour users – as long as it's seen through. The presence of abandoned vessels has been a long-standing concern, not only because they take up valuable mooring space, but because they often leak oil, attract crime and create physical hazards for active fishers. 'This is one of the easiest wins,' said Walker. 'You don't need a five-year spatial framework to raise a sunken boat.' George's directive is specific: under Marine Information Notice MIN 08-25 issued by Samsa, owners of the identified wrecks must remove them by 16 June 2025. After that, the state will step in and remove them, recovering the costs from the owners as allowed under the Act. advertisement Don't want to see this? Remove ads advertisement Don't want to see this? Remove ads 'This initiative reflects Minister George's dedication to rolling back the ills of the past and restoring the integrity of South Africa's coastal infrastructure,' the department said. 'The removal of these wrecks will enhance the safety of harbours, protect marine biodiversity and support the livelihoods of communities that depend on these waters.' George added: 'By removing these wrecks, we are safeguarding our oceans for future generations and creating safer, more sustainable hubs for maritime activities.' Beyond boats For the Hout Bay fishing community, the derelict vessels are only one part of a much broader crisis. The most immediate needs are often depressingly basic: working toilets, running water, secure lighting and functioning pumps. 'We're being held back by things that are fixable,' Walker stressed during the imbizo. 'We can't control the sea. We can't control the weather. But we can fix a pump. We can fix a light. We can fix a jetty. And if we don't, we'll lose it all.' Many speakers called for better interdepartmental coordination. 'Bring Public Works and Fisheries together,' Walker urged. 'Two ministers, two key officials, in one room. No more feasibility studies, no more five-year frameworks. Just a concrete plan.' advertisement Don't want to see this? Remove ads Regan James, a local activist, pointed out that the rot is not just physical but symbolic. 'This harbour is a reflection of how our community is treated. It's not just about fishing – it's about dignity. It's about survival.' He also raised concerns about small-scale fishing allocations, suggesting that quotas are often poorly matched to the realities on the ground. 'You can't catch a sardine on a handline,' he quipped. 'You gave us a basket we can't even catch.' George's response to these grievances was measured, if at times constrained. He spoke of the international respect afforded to South Africa's fisheries scientists, but also acknowledged the resource challenges his department faces. 'We've gone from 700 staff to fewer than 400,' he said. 'And I'm managing 261 ongoing court challenges related to fishing rights.' But he expressed a wish: 'I want to walk through this harbour in the future and see that it's been fixed. Otherwise I'll know I failed.' The wreck removal directive, while not a comprehensive fix, may prove to be the first visible sign of this wish. It's an important test. DM
Daily Maverick
15-05-2025
- General
- Daily Maverick
Hout Bay Harbour is a wreck, give us action not ‘glossy' plans, fishers tell minister
Fishing communities in South Africa's small harbours face crumbling infrastructure and a shrinking future, and their frustration is palpable. The smell of salt and diesel mingles with the stench of sewage in Hout Bay Harbour. Boats bob at their moorings, their hulls patched and stained. Several have sunk. Behind them derelict buildings sag into disrepair, walkways crumble underfoot and a collapsed section of quay wall threatens to give way entirely. This is what greeted Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Dion George when he arrived in Hout Bay on 30 April for his 'Fishing for Freedom' imbizo. For the fishers and harbour tenants gathered to meet him, it wasn't just quotas or rights that dominated their concerns – it was the very ground beneath their feet. 'We don't have much more time,' warned Sean Walker, a prominent figure in Hout Bay's fishing industry, speaking forcefully during the meeting. 'This harbour is in a sorry state of repair. The facilities are falling apart. It's threatening not just businesses, but an entire working-class economy that's been holding on by its fingernails.' Walker's message was echoed by Justin Strong, a representative of the Hout Bay Harbour Tenants Association and longtime operator of the popular Snoekies fish restaurant. 'I've been attending meetings like this for 15 years,' Strong told George. 'We've had millions spent on feasibility studies and spatial frameworks. But nothing from those plans has been implemented. Not one thing.' A litany of decay The harbour's problems read like a checklist of neglect: Raw sewage spilling onto public walkways; Broken lighting leaving common areas in darkness; Non-functional water and electricity services to the jetties; Unsecured derelict buildings left open to squatters; Collapsing quay walls; Illegal traders intimidating customers; Piles of uncollected waste; Public toilets either shuttered or lacking basic supplies; and Sunken vessels occupying critically needed berths. Strong detailed how tenants were forced to string their own lights to illuminate parking areas while their businesses battled rats, flies and a rising tide of filth. 'We light up the parking lot with six spotlights because otherwise it's pitch dark,' he said. 'There's no meaningful security. We've had three break-ins at Snoekies just this past month.' Nearby, empty hulks like the Bluefin building have stood vacant for more than a decade. Since Oceana pulled out, prime space that could be repurposed for tourism or commercial tenants stands derelict. 'We keep being told to wait. But how long?' Strong asked. 'Fifteen years? Twenty?' Falling through the cracks The common refrain among harbour users is that no one knows who's responsible. 'For 15 years, the Department of Public Works and the Department of Fisheries have been hiding behind each other,' Strong charged. 'Each says the other is responsible. Meanwhile, nothing gets fixed.' George acknowledged the confusion. 'I wasn't even sure myself who manages the toilets,' he admitted to the crowd. But he promised to 'speak to the minister concerned' in Public Works. He also proposed setting up a small forum – a liaison group that could have direct access to his office. 'I want to walk through this harbour in the future and see that it's been fixed,' George said. 'Otherwise I'll know I failed.' But his words rang hollow for many who had heard similar promises from predecessors. At a similar imbizo in Kalk Bay, boat owner Kobus Poggenpoel, whose family has been fishers for generations, was less than impressed. 'Maybe setting up yet another forum may work, maybe not. Every year politicians come and talk about transformation and integration, but nothing happens. 'We want to talk about fishing, but the minister comes and talks about harbour infrastructure, then says it is not his department's responsibility to repair it.' Boats held back on shore Back in Hout Bay, while George ventured into what Poggenpoel said should be the point of the discussions – small-scale fishing rights – fishers like Walker were quick to shift the conversation back to infrastructure. 'We're proud of our fishery,' Walker said. 'Our scientists are respected internationally. Our regulations are solid. But what good is that if we can't get ice, fuel, water or parts for our boats? If we can't get onto the slipway? These aren't policy problems. These are pipes, pumps, power supplies – and they're broken.' Walker estimated that more than 3,000 workers depended on fishing operations in Hout Bay Harbour, many of them employed directly on boats owned by small operators. 'These aren't big corporations. These are individuals who own a boat, go out themselves and employ others. If the harbour collapses, they lose their jobs. Their families lose their livelihoods. And this community loses its heart.' No more plans, please Both Walker and Strong urged the government to stop deflecting and start coordinating. 'If there's one thing I ask of you,' Walker told George, 'it's this: bring Public Works and Fisheries together. Two ministers, two key officials in one room. No more feasibility studies, no more five-year frameworks. Just a concrete plan.' He added: 'We've had beautiful glossy plans before, volumes of them, but no action. We don't need more paperwork. We need a working slipway. We need lights. We need the sewage sorted. We need security.' For Regan James, a fisher and activist for local fishing rights, the decaying harbour is also a symbol of a broken social contract. 'We always talk about transformation, but when will it work for our community? We've got poachers out here. I say bring them into the system, give them rights. Let them fish legally and support their families.' James pointed to the limitations of the current small-scale fishing allocations, noting that species like sardine and anchovy were allocated to line fishers despite being practically inaccessible to them. 'You can't catch a sardine on a handline. You gave us a basket we can't even catch,' he said. 'We need a rethink of what's possible. And we need to include the youth, the poachers, the community in the harbour's future.' Beyond quotas George responded by praising the resilience of the fishing community and the international reputation of South Africa's fisheries scientists. But he admitted that his department was underresourced, down from 700 staff to fewer than 400. He said he had 261 continuing court challenges related to fishing rights, but that he had 'thick skin like a rhino'. 'I'd love to hand out a million fish to everyone,' George said, 'but there just aren't enough fish in the sea for that.' He reiterated his belief that aquaculture and new economic models were the way forward. But in Hout Bay Harbour, such long-term visions feel distant amid the immediate decay. 'We're being held back by things that are fixable,' Walker insisted. 'We can't control the sea. We can't control the weather. But we can fix a pump. We can fix a light. We can fix a jetty. And if we don't, we'll lose it all.' As the meeting drew to a close, there was polite applause, but little sense of resolution. Another meeting was requested within 30 days, this time including Public Works, to finally clarify responsibilities and chart a path forward. 'It's not just about fishing,' Walker said as the crowd dispersed. 'It's about dignity. It's about survival. This harbour is one of the last engines of employment in this community. If it fails, what's left?' For now, the harbour's fate remains tied to the same bureaucratic knots that have stymied it for decades. But the voices from Hout Bay and other small harbours are growing louder and the cracks – literal and metaphorical – are becoming harder to ignore. George, ever courteous despite many angry deliveries from the floor, is clearly listening, but whether he can make substantial changes remains to be seen. DM This story first appeared in our weekly Daily Maverick 168 newspaper, which is available countrywide for R35.
eNCA
03-05-2025
- Politics
- eNCA
Exploring solutions to problems plaguing fishing communities
CAPE TOWN - Forestry, Fisheries and Environment Minister Dion George has concluded the Fishing for Freedom tour. The minister has been meeting with fishing communities in a bid to explore solutions to the problems in the sector. Dr. Dion George says they need to make sure we don't pollute water supplies, and there are a number of issues with water quality.
