GEORGE NEWS - The new regulations being proposed by the Department of Water and Sanitation for the management and control of government-owned dams will be not be applicable to the Garden Route Dam.
The civil rights watchdog, AfriForum, has sharply criticised these proposed regulations, calling them an “unjustified and unlawful attempt” to restrict public access to dams and expand state control.
The draft Regulations on Government Waterworks and Waterways, under the National Water Act, were published in January and stipulate how government-owned dams and surrounding state land may be managed. They would replace the regulations from 1964.
George Municipality’s senior communications officer, Ntobeko Mangqwengqwe, confirmed that the regulations would not apply to the Garden Route Dam as the dam is municipal property.
Furthermore, the portion of Erf 464 that borders the dam is also municipal property, and several properties on the opposite side (to the north and northeast) belong to other owners and not the Department of Water and Sanitation.
According to the municipality’s website, the activities at the dam are already regulated to some extent. Fishing, for example, requires a permit from the municipality.
Other prohibitions pertaining to the dam and environs include:
• No shows, entertainment, commercial activities or organised events (such as fishing competitions) may be held
• No overnight staying or camping is allowed
• No motorboats or outboard motors are allowed
• No swimming, unless prior written permission has been granted
• Permit holders may not go ashore on restricted shoreline areas adjoining conservation land
• No fires are allowed
• Permitted activities are allowed only from 30 minutes before sunrise until 30 minutes after sunset
• No alcohol is allowed on the premises
• Visitors may not disturb others or create a nuisance
• Entry to municipal infrastructure areas, including the pump station and tower in the dam, is strictly prohibited.
The Koos Raubenheimer and Mellville dams are owned by the Oudtshoorn Municipality, and Knysna Municipality owns the Akkerkloof Dam, the town’s main water supply. The only state-owned dam in the area is the Wolwedans Dam, which supplies Mossel Bay.
AfriForum aired its concern over the proposed regulations, placing ordinary recreational use of dams and permission for access under state control. “This effectively criminalises long-standing activities such as boating and fishing, which have taken place lawfully for decades,” it said.
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