WORKING for The COAST (WfTC) DEFINED

The coastal protection zone consists of land falling within areas declared as a sensitive coastal area within which activities may not be undertaken without an authorisation. These areas include, among others, any coastal wetland, lake, lagoon or dam which is situated wholly or partially within 100 meters of the high-water mark. The National Environmental Management: Integrated Coastal Management Act 24 of 2008 (ICMA) provides that the coastal protection zone would extend 100 metres inland from the high-water mark in urban areas, which have already been zoned for residential, commercial, industrial or multiple-use purposes, and 1 km inland in other areas (rural areas), but these boundaries may be adjusted depending on the sensitivity of the coastline.

For example, in developed areas where the coastal environment has been highly modified, such as Durban's beach-front and Sea Point in Cape Town, the width of the coastal protection zone could be reduced to less than 100 metres. In other instances, such as estuaries where tidal influence extends further inland than 1 km or where dune fields extend further than 1 km inland of the high water mark the width of the coastal protection zone could be extended beyond 1 km.

The coastlands of South Africa are characterised by a coalescence of effects of inland resource practices and those from the marine coastal zone. High population densities and poor techniques of resource development among inland communities create significant impact on coastal resources. Rapid developmental needs have had a negative impact even on un-spoilt yet pristine areas along the coastline. These include among others, coastal construction works, oil exploration, rapid expansion of urban settlements and most of all serving as a motivation is economic benefit of the areas without having considered the dire consequences that might come as a result.

CHALLENGES

Challenges encountered along the coastline include among others: continuous sedimentation, environmental pollution, direct destruction of coastal habitats, urbanisation and influx of tourists. To date, challenges encountered along the coastline include among others:

CONTINUOUS SEDIMENTATION

Coastal sedimentation has become a glaring problem especially along the east coast. Silt laden river waters and muddy beaches are some of the effects and evidence of excessive coastal sedimentation, which have led to:

• Declining attraction of beaches and coastal landscapes.
• Direct killing of marine organisms.
• Rise in local sea level and extensive coastal erosion etc.

ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION

Several urban centres along the coast are rapidly expanding in population, in the use of hydrocarbon and agro-chemical products and in their extractive and processing industries. The major sources of environmental pollution include:

• Oil pollution.
• Industrial pollution.
• Pollution from domestic sources.
• Pollution from agro-chemical sources.

DIRECT DESTRUCTION OF COASTAL HABITATS

Direct habitat destruction is another problem which compounds coastal resource base deterioration in the coastal ecosystems. Major causes of habitat destruction include the following:

• Poor fishing methods.
• Land reclamation.
• Mining.
• Dredging activities.

All these, unless averted will lead to a shrinkage in the coastal resource base as even prawns, lobsters, shrimps and fish species will continue to lose their habitats.

URBANISATION AND INFLUX OF TOURISTS

Urban cities have high rates of population and industrial growths. They are therefore, employment centres and have pulled large numbers of rural people into urban centres. As a result of this, problems exist in two main areas:

• Planning, expansion and upgrading of municipal utilities and services to keep pace with population growth and need to preserve urban amenities and eliminate unsanitary conditions; and
• Controlling the proliferation of unplanned squatter settlements and associated unsanitary conditions and regulating trends in development of housing, industry and mining and other developments.

All these urban centres receive a growing number of tourists which creates other problems such as overload of facilities during peak periods given the carrying capacity that is mismanaged based on the economic benefit.

These challenges, therefore, necessitate the need for:

• Formulation of coastal resource management legislation.
• Having a well-integrated management approach as marine and coastal ecosystems are characterised by linkage, exploitability and invisibility, that is:
•  Streams;
• Winds and currents transport sediments;
• Pollutants; and
• Nutrients across coastal ecological zones.
• Integration of land-use management in the uplands with development and ecosystem conditions of the coastlands and sea.
• Protection of critical coastal habitats.
• Protecting endemic and endangered species and their habitats as a national heritage.
• Supporting and expanding facilities for education and other social services. Knowledge about the functioning of marine and coastal ecosystems is very crucial, so are interactions and interdependencies between sea and land, the vulnerability of estuaries and coastal systems, and the impact of human practices on coastal habitats.

The WftC programme of the DFFE was established to assist with some of the above stated challenges in line with the ICMA 28 of 2008. The sub-programme also incorporates other inland programmes of the EP branch such as street cleaning and greening, waste management, rehabilitation of degraded areas (catchments), bioremediation of polluted rivers, etc. The ICMA is a specific management act under the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA) and is the first legal instrument in South Africa, dedicated to managing our coastline in an integrated fashion and ensuring the sustainable use of the coast's natural resources.

The department aims to create access to pristine beaches and a well conserved coastline through these projects and bring about much needed revenue to the coastal towns and communities, whilst creating job opportunities in the tourism sector. Through the implementation of EPWP, participants of this programme will help in achieving the government's objective of responsible coastal management by contributing to the development and maintenance of coastal infrastructure along the coast. The programme aim also to assist municipalities in obtaining and maintaining blue flag status for their beaches, regular coastal clean-ups, as well as the removal of invasive alien vegetation.

STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES

• To protect and conserve the coastal environment.
• To have equitable access to coastal public property.

CATEGORIES OF PROJECTS IMPLEMENTED WITHIN WftC

a. INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT TYPES

• Improvement of access to and along the coast
  
  

The programme will work with Municipalities and Conservation Agencies to:

• Clear and maintain existing servitudes.
• Repair existing access structures.
• Building new access structures e.g. boardwalks, boat launching.
• Conservation areas.
• Dune belt – where there are signs of trampling, erosion etc.

Note: Some activities may require EIAs.

• Rehabilitation of degraded areas

Activities on this deliverable focus on:

• Implementation of estuary management plans.
• Erosion in catchments (dongas).

Note: May require EIAs as well as collaboration with Working for Water Programme.

• Development of tourism and environmental conservation coastal infrastructure

The programme is about identifying economically depressed coastal areas that would greatly benefit from relatively low infrastructural investment interventions. It will identify and evaluate the costlier interventions and implement relevant elements in concert with the interventions of local authorities and other stakeholder ministries.

The required Infrastructure include:

• Harbours.
• Leisure craft;
• Fishing vessels; and
• Light industry.
• Temporary accommodation.
• B&B establishments.
• B&B and Conference centers.
• Hotels.
• Backpackers' establishments:
  • Restaurants;
  • Boat launch facilities;
  • Ablution facilities;
  • Parking;
  • Aquaria; and
  • Environmental education centers.
• Facilities for:
  • Educators;
  • Life savers;
  • Compliance officers; and
  • Beach cleaners.
• Performing arts facilities, largely outdoors.
  • Amphitheaters.

Note: May require EIAs

b. NON-INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT TYPES

• Cleaning of the coast – coastal catchments to the coast.

This category of project talks to all accessible areas of coastline NOT sandy beaches only. The waste found on the coast affects living organisms in all types of habitats (sandy, rocky shore, rock pools, pebble beach etc.). Marine debris in the natural environment is not only unsightly but also poses threats to wildlife, such as fish, birds, sea turtles, seals and dolphins. These animals may become entangled in debris or ingest garbage along with real food. Plastic debris degrading, or fragmenting, into small pieces has become a serious problem. The deliverables for this category are as follows:

• Regular cleaning of the coast in general.
• Clean Blue Flag Beaches more often.
• Clear historical dumpsites along the coast (dunes).
• Assist during "disasters" e.g. oil spills.

Note: Participants need to be trained on what is "clean". "What to and what not to remove from coast" and specialist training for oil spills.

• Removal of illegal and abandoned structures
  
  

The deliverables for this category include:

• Identification of structures (new and old; e.g. stairs, jetties, slipways, tidal pools).
• Assist to remove structures that have been declared illegal (court or ICM Act S60).
• Assist to rehabilitate sites.

Note: A checklist of these structures will be developed in collaboration with Oceans and Coastal Management Branch. Participants will be supplied with GPS and cameras for locating and reporting on such developments.

• Control of invasive alien vegetation areas
  
  

Focus on coastal conservation areas.
Note:

• Work with conservation agencies during planning and identification of such species and alignment of such activities with the Working for Water norms and standards.
• Permission sought on declared sensitive coastal areas.

• Monitoring and compliance: "eyes & ears"
  
  

Record and report:

• Driving on beach.
• Illegal effluent pipelines (running).
• Pollution e.g. oil on the beach, toxic container etc.
• All existing structures e.g. Slipways, tidal pools, stairs.
• Structures in progress of disrepair.
• Supply info requested.

Note:

• Need GPS and cameras.
• Access to a dedicated (ICM) email and hotline.