GEORGE NUUS - Die Gwaiing-aksiegroep het met 'n petisie begin waardeur hulle hoop om die probleme by die Gwaiingriviermond op die spits te dryf. Meer as 'n 1 000 mense het al die petisie geteken.
Inwoners is al geruime ongelukkig oor onder meer die toestand van infrastruktuur by Gwaiingriviermond digby Pacaltsdorp, 'n gewilde uitspanplek.
Volgens Blanche Benjamin, voorsitter van die aksiegroep, is daar "gebrekkige dienslewering". Hulle is ook bekommerd dat Gwaiing "geprivatiseer" kan word. "Ons hoop dat Gwaiing sy regmatige plek in die George munisipale begroting sal kry."
Hulle het reeds met die George-munisipaliteit vergader en wag vir antwoorde.
Chantél Edwards-Klose, munisipale woordvoerder, het by navraag gesê die munisipaliteit het nie 'n petisie ontvang nie en kan derhalwe nie kommentaar lewer nie.
Sy het George Herald verwys na 'n munisipale mediaverklaring wat op 4 Mei aan die SABC verskaf is. Tot op datum het die George-munisipaliteit nie enige aankondiging gemaak oor die privatisering en/of moontlike privatisering van die gebied nie.
Lees die volledige munisipale verklaring:
MEDIA Statement: Gwaiing Caravan Park and Beach
Issued by George Municipality, Tuesday 4 May 2021
The Gwaiing Action Group has recently met with the Acting Municipal Manager, Dr Gratz and Director for Community Services, Mr Paulse on 1 April 2021. A second meeting was held with Mr Paulse 21 April 2021 and Mr Paulse has also completed a personal on-site inspection of the premises on Sunday 2 May 2021.
George Municipality is responsible for maintaining and overseeing not only Gwaiing Caravan Park and Beach but also Herold’s Bay Campsite and Beach, Victoria Bay, Leentjiesklip and Wilderness Beach (Salinas) within a limited capital budget.
The total capital budget allocated to these areas for 2020/21 is R1,3-million of which 54% was spent on the Gwaiing Caravan Park and Beach site. Unfortunately, there is a limited general budget for the renovation of beaches that must be divided between all six beaches in the George municipal area.
Funds are also not always available because beaches are not considered a core service compared to other community services such as refuse removal.
Capital expenditure for the 2020/21 financial year included the following upgrades to the Gwaiing Caravan Park, that is: new lighting, electrical connections, disabled toilet and upgrade of the clothes and dishwashing facilities.
Recent vandalism at Gwaiing Beach and Caravan Park include the complete destruction by fire of the lifeguard tower, a fibreglass structure which had been in place since 2017, with a replacement cost of R150 000.
The ablution facilities at the beach site were vandalised with toilets, windows and pipes damaged and/or broken with further vandalism taking place at the Caravan Park with a total estimated repair cost of R30 000. Allegations made by the Gwaiing Action Group that the vandalism is not a “true” reflection of events and that the costs are over-estimated are noted.
The municipality has photographs of the vandalised site taken the day after each incident occurred.
It must be noted that a number of the requests put forward by the action group are not able to be addressed. The cement driveway that enters the water may not be replaced again as in terms of legislation, the relevant Western Cape Department does not allow structures in the water that can be damaged by waves and consequently pose a safety and environmental risk.
Gwaiing Beach is a river mouth and a number of the unreasonable and illegal expectations stem from the annual illegal camp that certain members of the public set up outside the caravan park and on the beach - for example, expectations that complete ablution blocks with electricity and dishwashers for illegal campers to be fitted at the lower bathrooms on the beach.
Camping outside the campsite is illegal - not only according to the municipal ordinances for all beaches, but also according to provincial and national environmental legislation that addresses estuaries - and it is therefore not possible to provide ablution facilities with facilities that will promote illegal camping.
Finally, there is at present an Environmental Impact Assessment being undertaken by WCG DEADP with the result that any further developments at the Gwaiing caravan park and day camp are dependent on such outcomes.
The action group has been requested to follow the correct legislative procedures for raising such matters and has been urged to submit written input to their representative Ward Councillors and respective ward committees which will then allow for inclusion of their requests within the IDP and budgetary process.
'Ons bring jou die nuutste George, Tuinroete nuus'
