Sign of the Mines

NOT MINE, NOT YOURS: A surfer prepares to paddle out up the West Coast. Photo PTWC

The PTWC Beach Access Protest Activation is aimed at highlighting the growing issue of destructive coastal mines on the West Coast that are increasingly blocking public access to the beaches and coastline, often with no real right to do so.

The PTWC Beach Access Protest will be held at 13 of Cape Town’s most popular beaches from 9 am on Saturday, where signs resembling those used by these mining companies will be placed at high traffic access points.

PTWC is trying to prevent most of the West Coast from Elands down to the Orange River becoming one giant open cast mine, with massive diggers and machines grinding up and down the beaches. In between these giants, such as Tormin, Trans Hex Marine Shallow Waters at De Punt, and Tronox, who operate Namakwa Sands at Brand se Baai, you will find other, smaller individuals and companies looking for diamonds and processing heavy minerals on the beach.

SIGN OFF: Tormin Mine takes ownership of public spaces with impunity. Photo PTWC

The activation seeks to draw attention to how the public’s constitutionally mandated right to access the South African coast is being undermined by the presence of these mines and their hired security guards, such as at the Tormin mine and extension north of the Olifants River.

While an unpleasant inconvenience for recreational coastal users, the legally murky issue of blocking public access to part of the West Coast is also having an adverse impact on local communities, including fishers, the tourism industry and more – all of this, it seems, with government support.

Then there is the threat to bio-diversity and environmentally fragile coastal ecosystems, the impact on groundwater resources, on top of the issues around public access to the affected coastal areas, many of which have quietly been taken over by the mines (particularly during Covid-19 lockdowns) to make them inaccessible, which is illegal.

BEACH ACCESS: You will see signs like this all over the Cape Peninsula tomorrow Photo PTWC

With several further mining prospecting applications now filed south of the Olifants towards Elands Bay, the issue of public access on the West Coast is set to become even more prevalent and represents only the thin end of the wedge when it comes to the issues surrounding the negative effects of these mines on coastal ecosystems and communities in the region.

We urge you to please come down to one of the beach locations on Saturday at 9 am to cover the latest PTWC activation – and to help us draw attention to reckless mining on our precious Cape West Coast in any way you can, particularly if you have a wide reach on social media. Please use #beachesforall #savewestcoastbeaches #protectthewestcoast #stopreklessmining #minealert #protectsouthafrica #savetheplanet #conservation #oneearth #abetterfuture #westcoast #southafrica.

BEACHES
Melkbos
Blouberg
Langebaan
Noordhoek
Glencairn
Camps Bay
Llandudno
Hout Bay (Chappies side)
Hout Bay (Harbour side)
Long Beach
Scarborough
Fish Hoek
Dale Brook Tidal Pool
Muizenberg 1
Muizenberg 2

Disclosure: Spike is on the media team for PTWC