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IOL News
14-07-2025
- General
- IOL News
SAMSA tasked with removing abandoned vessels following legal notice expiry
Half sunken boats are seen at Hout Bay Harbour. Picture Henk Kruger/ Independent Media FILE Image: Henk Kruger/ Independent Media / FILE The department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment has initiated processes with the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) to remove a number of identified shipwrecks and recover costs from the responsible parties. This comes after Minister Dion George directed the urgent removal of wrecked and abandoned vessels that pose significant risks to navigation, marine ecosystems, and the safety of coastal communities, by June 16. The department said George was taking steps to address longstanding environmental and safety complexities in South Africa's proclaimed fishing harbors, including Gordons Bay, Lamberts Bay, Saldanha Bay, St Helena Bay, and Hout Bay. 'A Marine Notice issued to vessel owners expired on June 16, 2025 with no response. The Department has now initiated processes with SAMSA in terms of the Wreck and Salvage Act. Minister George confirmed that SAMSA is required to remove the wrecks and recover costs from the responsible parties. 'The Department is also considering further options, including issuing directives, engaging the Navy for vessels of military interest, and unlocking the Maritime Fund,' the department said. Meanwhile, the department said the revitalisation of South Africa's Proclaimed Fishing Harbours was delivering results with upgrades completed at 15 sites. "These harbours are more than physical structures. They are the engine rooms of local economies, supporting fishers, small businesses and the communities that depend on them. We are now seeing the impact of steady, focused work to restore and secure these public assets," said George. In the 2024 to 2025 financial year, the 12 Proclaimed Fishing Harbours handled more than 1000 vessels. Thirty-three vessels have already been serviced this financial year, and more than 300 currently make use of mooring facilities. Completed work includes full signage installation at 15 sites to improve access and navigation, 24-hour security measures at high-risk locations such as Saldanha and Paarden Eiland, and progress in addressing sunken and abandoned vessels that create safety and environmental hazards. Security interventions in place include real-time monitoring, alarm systems and armed response within ten minutes. Six more harbours, including Lamberts Bay, St Helena Bay, Hout Bay, Kalk Bay, Hermanus and Gansbaai, are scheduled to receive electronic security upgrades. 'Procurement is in progress following the submission of Terms of Reference in June. The remaining five harbours, currently classified as low risk, will be prioritised in the next quarter depending on budget availability,' the department said. Signage upgrades were completed between April and June at all 12 Proclaimed Harbours, along with Elands Bay, Doringbaai and Yzerfontein. Additional signage was added at St Helena Bay on June 19. George said the work is part of a broader effort to build a thriving blue economy that benefits all South Africans. "We are investing in the future of coastal communities by ensuring these harbours are safe, accessible and fit for purpose. This is meaningful progress, and it will continue," the minister said. Cape Times
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
