THE national Department of Public Works (DPW) has teamed up with the Coega Development Corporation (CDC) on the rollout of the first phase of an upgrade of small harbours in the Western Cape (WC).
The R400-million project, spearheaded by the department and implemented by the CDC, seeks to boost the small-scale fishing industry and tourism in the WC.
“The project is tipped to change the lives of many fishing communities and tourism operators relying on 13 of the smaller proclaimed harbours in the Western Cape,” said Riyaadh Kara, DPW Quantity Surveyor and Project Manager.
“The project forms part of our focus on the oceans economy and is a strategic fit to Operation Phakisa.”
CDC Programme Director Themba Koza said: “Since the commencement of the project, we’ve had a great working relationship with the department. We have progressed at a rapid pace and hit all the right notes in supporting the DPW’s focus on developing the maritime economy.”
The harbours to benefit from the upgrade are Hout Bay, Kalk Bay, Saldanha Bay, Pepper Bay, Gordon’s Bay, Hermanus, Struisbaai, Gansbaai, Stilbaai, Arniston, Laaiplek, Lamberts and St. Helena Bay.
The CDC has procured and appointed marine, civil and electrical engineers, as well as marine surveyors for the project. It has also successfully concluded marine surveys and reports for all 13 harbours, as well as testing of the sediment materials that need dredging in order to open up some of the harbours.
“In many cases lives are put at risk and boats are damaged because the harbour basin and approach channel to the slipways have silted up and boats have to be launched off the beach, or only at high tide, which is why dredging is paramount to the longevity of these harbours,” said Koza.
All the environmental impact assessments have been completed and the dredging dumping permits obtained from the Department of Environmental Affairs.
The tenders for repairs and upgrades to slipways and the replacement of shore cranes have been advertised and the selecting of candidates is underway.
“We are speeding up the process as much as possible as we understand that the livelihoods of at least 13 coastal communities are dependent on the harbours used by their fishing fleets and tourism operators,” Koza said.
“Work started last year in harbours with the removal of all sunken vessels and on completion, maintenance dredging will commence by June 2018.”
The upgrades have created 102 jobs to date, with 11 SMMEs having benefited to the tune of R3.5 million.