Earlier this month, the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism
introduced the Integrated Coastal Management Bill, which aims to
regulate human activities within, or that affect, the coastal zone.
Commercial and industrial expert Warren Jack gives his thoughts on the
newly tabled Bill.

In order to understand the value of the Bill, let’s just dwell on our
coastline for a second. It is undeniably a unique part of the
environment; a limited spatial area that supports many activities, as
the Bill’s public participation document so aptly puts it.

There is no denying the fact that it is a distinctive system with a
range of considerations that requires a dedicated and integrated
management approach.

It is probably fair to say that in the past the value of coastal
ecosystems, as a cornerstone for development, was not sufficiently
acknowledged. To quote the White Paper, which emphasises the intrinsic
worth of the coast, the value of the direct benefits obtained from
coastal “goods and services” was estimated in 1998 to be about R168
billion annually (35% of the country’s annual Gross Domestic Product).

The public participation document further reads, “. . . much of the
wealth locked up in our coast continues to be wasted due to
environmentally insensitive development and activities. Economic and
social opportunities for wealth creation and equity are being missed and
coastal ecosystems are being degraded.

“The coast needs to be managed as a system in order to make optimal use
of the opportunities and benefits it provides.”

The Bill - which defines areas such as coastal buffer zones, coastal
access land, coastal protected areas, special management areas and
coastal set-back lines - now gives the Minister of Environmental Affairs
and Tourism, Marthinus van Schalkwyk, a vehicle to manage the coastline,
holistically.

However, the mere mention of a term such as a “coastal buffer zone” is
sure to have parties with development fingers in coastal pies sitting
nervously upright. Especially since this zone extends one hundred metres
inland from the high-water mark in areas that have already been zoned
for residential, commercial, industrial or multiple-use purposes (up to
one kilometre inland in other areas).

A mouthful, but, nevertheless, a warning signalled loud and clear.

Perhaps the future (for developers) is not as dire and as cutthroat as
the Bill makes it seem like at first glance, but, as it stands now (and
once it is published as law), it could have a huge impact on all sectors
of the coastal property market.

Granted, we definitely need better control measures along our
coastlines, and certain areas are precious gems for tourism, but, if we
were to develop like the rest of the world, which has prime properties
on the coastline, then this Bill would need to be seriously
reconsidered.

Government should decide if we are to become a first world country, or
make a U-turn and gallop back into the Dark Ages.

For more information email commercial@warrenjack.co.za or visit
www.warrenjack.co.za.

Readers’ Comments
Thanks for this good article. I think that it is an excellent move by
Government and should be supported by everybody. Our coastline is ruined
by money hungry developers. In some instance it is not even possible to
reach the beaches. Houses are almost built on the water. Government
should also think of removing buildings that are to close to the sea. -
Philip van Schalkwyk

“…make a U-turn and gallop back into the Dark Ages?” What? In terms of
what policies that developed nations are imlpementing (out of their own
mistakes and experience, usually), this is a progressive policy -
planning for the future, protecting land owners, preventing loss of
property and industry during freak events of nature and protecting
sensitive ecosystems. In addition, it’s not like there is a shortage of
sea-side properties in this country. I live in a small seaside town with
lots of houses standing empty and for sale (and people struggling to
sell their houses). It’s only the developers that are worried about
these new policies. - Michelle Greve

I live in Blouberg Sands on the West Coast, some 20 odd km’s from Cape
Town. We are about 500 meters from the sea, but there is a piece of
undeveloped bush between us and the beach. About a month ago we, as
residents, were informed of a mining application that was submitted to
mine for building sand on that piece of land between us and the beach.
At the following public meeting it became abundantly clear that this
whole application was greed driven (so what’s news). Fact is and I can
confirm that our coast line is under tremendous pressure and I’m hoping
that this Bill can play a role to keep greedy, short and fat fingered
developers at bay. Not to mention the BEE deals that contributed to the
Big Bay development being mismanaged and raped and turning into a high
density slum! This Bill should actually be aimed at rooting out greed. -
Paul Cilliers

Posted on June 17th, 2008
Filed under: Newspaper and Media