Cape Town - Strandfontein residents are angry with the City of Cape Town, claiming they are allowing film companies to destroy their beachfront.
Residents have written to Mayor Dan Plato, questioning how a film company was allowed to erect a prison-like structure and lay metal tracks on the dunes.
Mario Oostendurp, chairperson of the Strandfontein Residents and Ratepayers Association, says fishermen got a fright when they saw workmen on the site.
“We had no idea what was going on and initially thought the City was upgrading the place, but then we saw what looks like an American prison being erected on the beachfront and metal tracks on the sand dunes,” he says.
“Fishermen got angry because if they drive on the dunes to access the fishing area, they get fined by Law Enforcement because the vegetation is sensitive.”
Director for safety and security, Richard Bosman, says the City’s beach coordinators had meetings with the film company and suggested the access path to the parking area created by the fisherman be used temporarily.
“This was allowed only after it was determined that the alternative access was both blocked and unsafe,” he says.
“No vehicles are allowed on the beach as no permit was obtained. The film company had no vehicles on the beach while the film set was being built or during filming.
“The parking lot will be restored and fixed to its original or better state by the film company.
“Furthermore, there is no direct impact on the main beach or pool area.”
But Oostendurp says it’s the principle of the matter: “They would not allow a structure like this to be erected on Camps Bay beach because the aunties there would go mad.
“The beachfront is already derelict. There is a road called the Broken Road because it has been broken for 20 years.”