GEORGE NEWS - The residents of Wilderness and Kleinkrantz have expressed their growing concern about the condition and management of Erf 1297 after the long-term lease with Waterleaf Properties was recently cancelled.
The property is now reportedly unoccupied, unsecured and showing signs of degradation, including illegal occupation, environmental disturbance and infrastructure decay.
The Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM), which owns the property, emphasised that right of admission to the land is strictly reserved. According to Lusanda Menze, the executive manager of Integrated Planning and Economic Development, anyone entering the property without authorisation does so at their own risk, and the municipality will not be liable for any damages suffered. GRDM officials are monitoring the site and will report any trespassers to local law enforcement.
Cables stripped and damaged. Photo: Supplied
The municipality also confirmed that regular monitoring and environmental oversight are ongoing, and discussions with relevant stakeholders, including SANParks and other government entities, are continuing so that a long-term management solution for the property may be determined.
Menze added that safety and security remain a top priority, and said the municipality is committed to preserving the property's natural assets.
A report on the property's future is expected to be presented to Council in 2026, with public consultation to follow as required by legislation.
The residents raised their concerns about a reported burst pipe on the property that disrupted water supply to Kleinkrantz during the recent water crisis.
Teams walked the line from the Ebb & Flow reservoir to Kleinkrantz. On Sunday evening, 30 November, a pipe failure was discovered just before Kleinkrantz (Erf 1297).
While the GRDM denied knowledge of this and said its officials were unaware of the incident, the George Municipality's spokesperson, Chantèl Edwards, confirmed on 3 December that a pipe failure had been discovered late on 30 November. This was in response to some media enquiries stemming from the recent water crisis. She confirmed that their teams had capped the leak, restoring water supply to the area.
Waleaf, the environmental watchdog that opposed prior development on Erf 1297, was unavailable for comment. The organisation noted that its chairperson is currently abroad and that the property is under the GRDM's custodianship.
Evidence of human activity. Photo: Supplied
A local resident and key decision-maker in the Erf 1297 debacle, Mike von der Heyde, criticised the municipality, noting that homeless people are squatting on the property, stripping electrical cables and damaging buildings at the old caravan resort.
He argued that the current state reflects years of neglect by GRDM and reiterated that Waleaf bears no responsibility for the site. "If a security company had been appointed, the current situation could have been avoided," he said.
With its ecological value and strategic location, Erf 1297 remains a sensitive coastal corridor.
Inside one of the buildings on Erf 1297 in Kleinkrantz.
The GRDM has affirmed its commitment to maintaining security and environmental oversight until a permanent management or conservation plan is determined.
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