The South African government’s Department of Public Works (DPW) has teamed up with the Coega Development Corporation (CDC) for a $31,8 million plan to upgrade thirteen Western Cape harbors.
The project, spearheaded by DPW and implemented by CDC, seeks to boost the small-scale fishing industry and tourism in the area.
“ The project is tipped to change the lives of many fishing communities and tourism operators relying on thirteen (13) of the smaller proclaimed harbors in the Western Cape ,” said Mr Riyaadh Kara, DPW Quantity Surveyor and Project Manager.
The harbors set to benefit from the upgrade include Hout Bay, Kalk Bay, Saldanha Bay, Pepper Bay, Gordon’s Bay, Hermanus, Struisbaai, Gansbaai, Stilbaai, Arniston, Laaiplek, Lamberts and St. Helena Bay.
CDC has procured and appointed the necessary marine, civil and electrical engineers, as well as marine surveyors.
Since the appointment of the CDC, the organization has successfully concluded marine surveys and reports for all thirteen harbors, as well as the testing of the sediment materials that need dredging in order to open up some of the harbors.
“ In many cases lives are put at risk and boats are damaged because the harbor 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 harbors ,” said Themba Koza, CDC Program Director.
With the environmental impact assessments completed, all dredging dumping permits were already obtained from the Department of Environmental Affairs in January 2018.
The tenders for repairs and upgrades to slipways and the replacement of shore cranes have been advertised and are in the process of selecting successful candidates.
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