Picture: Fouzia van der Fort
The current project aims only to protect the car park from collapsing into the ocean.
“It is an urgent intervention and is not intended to address the Fisherman’s Lane area, although it is situated right alongside,” said mayoral committee member for safety and security; and social services JP Smith.
He was responding to a letter sent to the Plainsman by recreational fisherman Keith Blake, from Ottery, who is fighting for the Cape Flats community to have “decent proper welcoming recreational fishing and facilities for these fishermen’s families”.
Mr Blake, who uses the notorious “broken road”, as it is commonly known, said when he started using the lane in 2009, there were elderly people sitting with gas stoves.
“They were making food, catching food and using the toilets.
“Then four years back I saw a couple of cracks on the walkway,” he said.
Mr Blake said he wants the communities of the Cape Flats to have access to the fishing shore, which is now being denied to them by this “half-work”.
In the last few years he has been flooding the City with emails regarding the restoration of this walkway to its former glory.
In a media release issued last week, Mr Smith said the City was spending R3.4 million to protect the parking area at the fishing spot along the False Bay coast.
The City’s Recreation and Parks Department is also in the process of assessing neighbouring Strandfontein Pavilion for a possible upgrade.