February 2012
This month makes it exactly three years since the developers “obtained the authorization” to commence construction of the small craft harbour on Durban’s Point. We are pleased to report that to date not a single brick has been laid and it is highly unlikely that any ever will. Vetch’s Beach has defied the odds and still remains intact for everybody to enjoy. We are also proud to rightfully claim that this has not been by sheer coincidence, but by the legal action we have taken preventing the developers from destroying another valuable public asset that has given so much pleasure to so many people for such a long time.
This too, would not have been possible, had it not been for the moral and financial support we have received from the public, particularly from all the current beach users. We are even more grateful for the support we are receiving from members of the Durban Undersea Club, Durban Ski Boat Club and Point Yacht Club, despite their chairmen signing an agreement with the developers in 2008 that would have by now seen the entire beach smothered in concrete. A big thank you also goes out to all the members of the Durban Paddle Ski Club, who have sacrificed so much supporting our cause from the very beginning. The message of “support the Save Vetch’s Association or kiss your beach goodbye” is getting through to the public and support is growing by the day.
The developers in the meantime are becoming restless and frustrated at the lack of progress in obtaining ownership of the beach and seabed on which they intend to construct their small craft harbour. One would have thought that ownership of the seabed would have been secured at the onset of the development, but this has not been the case here. As reported in the press late last year, the Ethekwini Municipality (50% shareholder) has recently attempted to sneak in an application to lease the seabed from the Department of Transport for 198 years for the paltry sum of R1000 per annum! We are grateful for the efforts of the opposition political parties within our city council for so far opposing this move. Even more desperate tactics were exposed in the press in December last year, with the developers resorting to “political intervention at a high level to expedite the development.” We have suspected these underhanded tactics for many years but it has now gone beyond suspicion. Should we even be surprised?
The developers are also under immense pressure to commence some form of construction to try to restore some investor confidence in this development stating in the press that construction of their super-basement was due to commence in early 2012. The problem they are facing is that the basement was set to be built “on the high-water mark”, which marks their boundary. Our legal opinion is that this boundary was not legally established and we launched the Beacons and Boundaries lawsuit in February 2011, disputing “their” high-water mark. Coupled with the massive Review of the authorization of the small craft harbour, no construction can commence until these issues are resolved in the courts.
Unfortunately all these achievements come with a huge monetary cost, but this pales into insignificance, when one compares that with the destruction of this unique beach. Nevertheless, court cases cost money and fund raising will remain crucial if we are to win this huge and uphill struggle. One thing for sure is that we cannot hope to achieve that, without continual public support. Currently we are running a great fund-raising raffle offering a R5000 gas braai, a R2000 toolbox with tools and a R1300 custom-made wetsuit for prizes. Tickets are available at R50 each and can be purchased from any SVA member. Should you be able to sell some tickets and be a part of the cause, please contact us through the website and books will be dropped off immediately. Save Vetch’s T-shirts are also available at R60 each as well as free Save Vetch’s Beach stickers, for your cars, bikes, boats, dogs etc.
A big thank you goes out to all the volunteers that helped cook, sell boerewors rolls, drinks, T-shirts and raffle tickets, and everyone that spread the word and supported our stand on the beach the day the Queen Mary 2 came to town. Your support was terrific helping us raise approximately R20 000 for the day!
Let us not forget the support we received on the Blue Line March we took in December last year, in which we made such a huge impact. Being in the middle of the COP17, this event was covered by several international media as well as making our local TV3 news and local newspapers. It was quite ironic to see our government trying to create a perception that we are leaders in climate change policies, advising developers to retreat to safe building lines but at Vetch’s, they ignore their own advice, going in the opposite direction and trying to build well into the sea.
We believe our cause to save Vetch’s Beach for our children is a far, far bigger cause than that of the developers and we shall continue blocking every sneaky move they make until we achieve our goal. It is time for the public to stand up for our rights and make our city fathers abide by our constitution in protecting a healthy environment, which so many of us hold so dear. After all, it is the only one we have.
