The SFB Beach Project
Some Questions & Answers for the St Francis Bay Community.

It has been brought to the attention of the SFB Residents Association that questions have been raised concerning a number of issues relating to the newly launched SFBRA Beach Project. These include the following:

What is the SFB Beach Trust?

• We have registered a Trust to cater specifically for the Beach Project with its own Trust Account.  A number of prominent homeowners with beachfront properties have been invited to serve as Trustees on the SFB Beach Trust. In addition the Beach Trust Fund will be audited in terms of the normal requirements of a Trust and the figures will be available on the website and on request to all contributors.

Why are Beach Front Homeowners Targeted?

• Why ask the beachfront owners for R 25k donation? We believe this is a fair request as the beachfront properties are high value properties, which will increase significantly in value once the beach is rehabilitated. Based on an average property value of R 5.0m, the requested amount of R25k is only a 0.5% contribution. This is significantly less than the cost of additional rock revetments. In addition all SFB residents and homeowners are requested to contribute. For example, we believe that the SFB Business Community (direct beneficiaries of the beach project) should be prepared to collectively contribute at least 25% or R250k of the initial amount of R1.0m.

Why Artificial Reefs Are Being Considered?

• Artificial Reefs are relatively new environmentally friendly technology which allow for beach rehabilitation without using the hard engineering option of groynes. In addition, groynes are unsightly while artificial reefs are invisible as they are under the level of the water. Artificial reefs also provide an ideal habitat for sea life to flourish.

Comparative Costs of Artificial Reefs

• In addition the comparative costs of artificial reefs are significantly less than for hard engineering options such as groynes. Looking at the previous budget estimates prepared by the Kouga Disaster Management: Save the Beach Committee the real costs to date are less than 20% on a direct comparative basis. This shows the direct cost benefits of a community driven process against the more traditional approach.

Who are Our Contributors?

• We are very pleased to announce that we are receiving excellent support from homeowners who live on the beach and also other SFB residents who have made substantial contributions to the Fund. A good example of this is a resident who lives well back from the beach and has made a contribution of R 5000. In another case homeowners who sold their house over the holiday period insisted that 10% of the agents commission be donated to the Beach Fund. In addition it is also likely that the purchaser will also make a matching contribution. We look forward to similar contributions as a result of other recent property sales in SFB.

We are also acknowledging all contributions to the  SFB Beach Fund as we believe it is important that these contributors should be recognised as concerned residents who are supporters of "Saving our Beach."

Where are we in the Process

• The Beach Trust have recently commissioned ASR Limited to proceed with the design phase.  This will be complete for the December, 2006 holiday season when Shaw Mead from ASR will be giving a further presentation in the Village on 19 December.

• Representatives of the Beach Trust met with the National Minister of Environmental Affairs in April, 2006 to discuss the Beach Project.  As a result of this meeting the Minister has committed himself to come to SFB before the end of the year to assist in facilitating a way forward.

• Shaw Mead was in St Francis in May and gave a presentation at a Public Meeting on the findings of the ASR investigation.  We have subsequently received the Final ASR Feasibility Study (PDF document 452kb) which confirms that the submerged reefs are both cost efficient and the best option for the Village.  In addition Shaw will be visiting St Francis early in October to report on progress.

• The SFB Beach Trust have also recently commissioned SRK Consultants to complete the Environmental Impact Report which was originally commissioned by the Kouga Municipality but not completed.  In this regard we have also had meetings with officials from both the Provincial and National Departments of Environmental Affairs.

In Conclusion

We trust that we are answering some of the questions raised. As mentioned at the 2005 AGM there is no possibility of the Kouga Municipality or Eastern Cape Government having the funds available for this project. The St Francis Community therefore, needs to put its full weight behind the very necessary initiative for the continuing successful future of SFB.

A. O. Tonkin
St Francis Bay Beach Trust.
14 August, 2006