New Monwabisi Beach upgrade promised

The City has already spent R7.2 million on upgrading the chalets at the resort and says that visitors have been pleased with the results and that the chalets are fully booked for the school holidays.

In response to complaints from beachgoers and lifeguards about the state of infrastructure on the beach, Lokiwe Mtwazi, the City’s executive director for community services, said the buildings had not been designed for the sandy coastline, she said.

“Particular stretches of the False Bay coastline are highly dynamic. It is a sandy shore coastline affected by strong winds and wave action. This means that it is an ‘unstable’ shoreline and not conducive to hard infrastructure”.

“The city is aware of the degradation of the infrastructure on the beach side of the Monwabisi nodal point but firmly believe these structures should not have been constructed where they are currently located.

“As part of the future upgrading the inappropriate hard infrastructure will be totally demolished and the beach area restored,” she said.

Beach visitors at Monwabisi told GroundUp last month that they felt the beach was neglected because it was mainly used by black people while other beaches were better maintained. They complained about lack of proper toilets and that they had to use mobile toilets and said that change rooms were located far from the beach area and were locked at 4pm when the City Council staff knocked off. There were also complaints about seaweed which was not removed from the shore.

Lifeguards said they did not have a proper clubroom and were using a container as a temporary clubroom during the holidays.

Some said they had been promised better facilities for 14 years.

Mtwazi confirmed that part of the plan for Monwabisi was the construction of a new life-saving club.

She said the District Management of the Department of Sport and Recreation responsible for this area, communicated regularly with the lifesaving club about its needs. She said the exact location of the future Surf Lifesaving Club had not yet been decided.

Meanwhile the City provided temporary accommodation each year for the lifesavers.

Other plans for Monwabisi included a picnic area, amphitheatre, play parks, improved parking areas, ablutions, a day visitors’ centre, offices for staff and offices for law enforcement.

Between 2012 and 2014 the city had also invested R8.9 million in the Blue Waters Resort, close to Strandfontein.

“Spending in excess of R16 million over two financial years in this area can hardly be described as neglect,” she said.

Container used as clubhouse for Monwabisi Beach. Photo by Johnnie Isaac.

Hired toilets used at Monwabisi Beach​. Photo by Johnnie Isaac.