Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson and the Mayor of Saldanha Bay, André Truter, have committed to working together to redevelop the St Helena Bay and Saldanha Bay small harbours.
This follows an oversight visit to the harbours on Tuesday morning. Macpherson said the harbours should become economic engines for their communities, creating much-needed jobs.
Macpherson and Truter have committed to working together to revitalise the harbours for the benefit of the local economy.
The two small harbours, which are owned and managed by the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure, have over the years fallen into a state of disrepair, often attracting criminal activity and deterring investment in the surrounding communities.
Macpherson said he would instruct departmental officials to develop a masterplan for the small harbours to ensure they contribute to the Saldanha Bay economy through fishing and tourism development.
“In a similar way that the V&A Waterfront stands as a prime example of how harbours can be used to attract investment and create thousands of jobs, we believe small harbours such as St Helena Bay and Saldanha Bay should be redeveloped to become economic engines for their communities.
“The V&A Waterfront has helped create over 60 000 jobs, and we believe this level of success can be replicated across the country, creating jobs for communities such as Saldanha Bay,” said Macpherson.
Truter welcomed the Minister’s commitment, saying the engagement was extremely positive and demonstrated a clear focus on action and timelines.
“...We look forward to embarking on this journey with the Minister and the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure,” said Truter. – SAnews.gov.za
