WORKING for the COAST SOUTHERN PENINSULAKEAG has a long and proud tradition with CoastCare and the Working for the Coast Project in particular.
In October 2000, KEAG was approached by the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism to start the first ever WftC project. Three weeks later we had the first team out in the field, and we have been running teams since then. In those early days, KEAG played a vital role in the national implementation and we were even used as a funding conduit by the Poverty Relief Unit to pay teams as far away as Kosi Bay and Port Nolloth. Many international Poverty Relief donors have visited the South Peninsula team.
In 2002 we won a Marine and Coastal Management Award for being the best WftC site in South Africa.
Our team has also received a Clean City's Merit Award from the Fairest Cape Association.
What we are most proud of however, is being a major pioneer in taking WftC to the next level, particularly in the field of sustainability. In fact, some of our exit strategies have a great chance of being replicated nationwide. These initiatives are based on making the WftC project and workers so multifunctional that they are almost irreplaceable.
Implementing agent: Kommetjie Environmental Awareness Group
Wally Petersen Contact Details: 021 783 3433 | 082 824 1914
Number of workers:
- 33 from Masiphumelele
- 17 from Red Hill
- 13 from Lavender Hill
- 19 from Ocean View
Geographical Area: from Chapman's Peak to Strandfontein Pavilion
Activities carried out:
- Beach cleaning - in Cape of Good Hope, Kommetjie, Scarborough, Noordhoek, False Bay
- Road Cleaning on Scenic Drives - Redhill Road, Slangkop Road and Kommetjie
- Cleaning of ablution facilities and car parks at tourism nodes such as Kommetjie, Noordhoek, Soetwater and Scarborough
- Bird scaring lines for deep sea trawlers
- Harbour Cleaning - Kalk Bay
- Coastal Data Collecting
- Ilithalomsa Craft from Waste Project
- Sand dune rehabilitation
Training: Due to the low wages in a poverty relief project, an extensive amount of time is spent on training the workers. A skill audit is carried out when the workers are first employed and a training and development programme is then tailored to each individual's needs and requirements.
