Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Sihle Zikalala this week confirmed his department’s work on refurbishing 13 small fishing harbours along the Western Cape coast is still going strong, with government having invested R501-million to improve the functioning and efficiency of these harbours.

The investment is meant to propel economic recovery in South Africa, Zikalala said during a visit to the Saldanha Bay and Hout Bay harbours, which have undergone upgrades.

Other harbours that are being refurbished include Pepper Bay and Hermanus.

Through the Small Harbours Repairs and Maintenance Programme, the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure aims to bring the harbours to a greater level of efficiency to better serve local fishermen, tenants and surrounding communities.

Zikalala said the refurbishment of the harbours is having a catalytic effect on job creation and investment attraction.

Since the programme’s launch in June 2022, the programme has involved the removal of sunken vessels, dredging of harbour basins, repairs to slipways, shore crane replacements, and security, civil and electrical infrastructure upgrades.

The Minister hopes the upgrades of the small harbours will attract new investors and thereby re-ignite the local economies of these coastal areas.

“We are going to be hands on deck and work with all stakeholders in turning around our small harbours. We want to attend speedily to the remaining bottlenecks such as long-term leases, security of the harbours’ land for human settlement purposes, and localisation and empowerment of communities in the economic value chain of the harbours,” Zikalala stated.

A particular problem at these harbours is that of vandalism and other acts of criminality, led by poachers. Zikalala addressed this during his visit, bemoaning the fact that vandalism and criminality in these areas pose a risk to the economy of the country and the harbours as a strategic entry point.

He communicated the need for relevant role-players to deal decisively with any lawlessness.