The Coega Development Corporation (CDC) has been awarded a contract worth R400million to upgrade 13 Western Cape harbours to boost the small-scale fishing and tourism industries.
The project was awarded to the CDC by the national Department of Public Works.
The department’s quantity surveyor and project manager, Riyaadh Kara, said the upgrades fitted in with the strategy of Operation Phakisa.
“The project is tipped to change the lives of many South African fishing communities and tourism operators relying on 13 of the [province’s] smaller proclaimed harbours,” Kara said.Coega will act as implementing agent in the rollout of the first phase of the project, which has a budget of R400-million.
CDC programme director Themba Koza said: “Since the commencement of the project, we’ve had a great working relationship with the department.
“We’ve progressed at a rapid pace and hit all the right notes in supporting the department’s focus on developing the maritime economy.”
Harbours that will benefit from the upgrades include Hout Bay, Kalk Bay, Saldanha Bay, Pepper Bay, Gordon’s Bay, Hermanus, Struisbaai, Gansbaai, Stilbaai, Arniston, Laaiplek, Lamberts Bay and St Helena Bay.
Since its appointment, the CDC has concluded marine surveys and reports for all the harbours.
It has also conducted testing of the sediment materials that need dredging 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,” Koza said.
“This is why dredging is paramount to the longevity of these harbours.”
In the meantime, the required dredging dumping permits have been obtained from the Department of Environmental Affairs, and the call for tenders for the repairs and upgrade of slipways – as well as the replacement of shore cranes – have been advertised.
“We are speeding up the process as quickly as possible, as we understand that the livelihoods of at least 13 coastal communities are dependent on the harbours.
“Work started last year in harbours with the removal of all sunken vessels and, on completion, maintenance dredging will commence by June,” Koza said.
A total of 102 jobs were created, while 11 small and medium enterprises have earned about R3.5-million for their work on the project so far.