Jetty 3 is still closed to the boat and angling community, and as of this week, even the site at the dam wall behind Tzangeni security estates is no longer accessible. This after the gate which was usually open to allow passage from the top of the wall down to the waterfront was locked with a lock and chain. Because of the Jetty being closed to the public during the amended lockdown regulations from last year and was never reopened when those regulations were relaxed five months ago, locals launched their boats from the dam wall side.
This brought a host of new problems with it as the anglers would be harassed by drunken youths who attempted to board the boats as they came back into shore. Most of the boaters also reported feeling unsafe as their private vehicles were being used as seating spots by the unruly youths while they were out on the dam. The situation escalated to the point where local security firms intervened to prevent a physical altercation between the two groups.
When Bulletin asked the GTM for their reasons in not reopening the Jetty when all parks and other public spaces were opened by the President, they claimed that they were understaffed and therefore not able to reopen the popular facility to the public without breaching the necessary Covid-19 protocols.
In April this year we reported that the Jetty would remain closed to the general public, but boaters could apply for a special permit to allow access to the facility in order to launch their boats. According to spokesperson for the GTM, Neville Ndlala, the municipality was concerned over their lack of staff to man the gates and clean the terrain, but he did say that a contractor would be appointed shortly to take over the management of the facility. He failed to give an indication of exactly who or when this contractor would commence employment.
Municipal manager, Thapelo Matlala admitted that the Jetty had become a contentious issue for his office and also admitted that it was only after seeing a live broadcast by Bulletin over social media during the initial lockdown in 2020, that he took note of the serious need for the facility to be upgraded. It was during this time that he ordered the new entrance gate to be erected.
“I would love to see that the entire area once again become a safe haven for our local fishermen and boaters. Unfortunately my attention is constantly directed towards the other priority areas such as trying to sort out the electrical crisis and upgrading the infrastructure of the town.
So at this stage I am completely open to any outside help and suggestions regarding the Jetty, and if any group would be interested in presenting a workable proposal, they should do so. I would certainly appreciate any help,” Matlala told Bulletin in April.
In response to this invitation, a group of businessmen with Muis Joubert as the driving force, compiled a thorough proposal with workable solutions to the running and maintaining of the Jetty which they presented to Matlala. To date, they have received no feedback and the Jetty remains closed.
Bearing in mind that the group of businessmen involved in the move to take over management of the Jetty and restore it to its former glory, include residents who have lived in the area for three decades and longer and who were previously involved in the maintenance of the facility. Joubert himself was involved in the construction of the ramp and the Lions Club House and has retained the liquor license for the venue since the late 90’s. All of the members of this group were responsible for the maintaining and running of the facilities which included cleaning up the terrain and providing security and proper access control.
It would only make sense to have the group responsible for running the Jetty successfully for many years, to once again take over management and restore the site to its former glory. Currently no capital is generated from the site and major sporting weekends are being cancelled due to the inaccessibility of the site. The South African National Rowing teams who spent a month in Tzaneen every year, have not returned and with the uncertainty around the Jetty, it is unlikely that we will see them here anytime soon.
At the time of going to print we had tried in vain top obtain any comment from the Greater Tzaneen Municipality on the matter. We have issued a media inquiry, and are in possession of the proposal brought forward by Joubert and the business community who support him.
We have had no feedback on why the gate at Tzangeni remains locked or why the unauthorised fenced-off Minitzani Park remains open to the public despite the fact that the municipality admitted to not having given permission for the erection of a fence, or the display of the 36 advertisement boards upon it. It would appear that lip service and conditional bylaw enforcement remains the order of the day at the Greater Tzaneen Municipality.
