State of the Bay Report 2011-Final.pdf - Anchor Environmental

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State of Saldanha Bay & Langebaan Lagoon 2011
Activities & discharges
The development does not fit the West Coast Provincial Spatial Development Framework
(despite the socio-economic benefits) as it will only reiterate unsustainable development
patterns of the past.
Social inequalities will be enforced, as the benefits will be mostly felt by society members
belonging to a higher-income bracket.
There is no need for further development, as currently 50% of existing residential properties
in Langebaan are vacant.
Industrial and urban development in and around Saldanha Bay has been matched with
increasing tourism development in the area, specifically with the declaration of the West Coast
National Park, Langebaan Lagoon being declared a National Wetland RAMSAR site and
establishment of holiday resorts like Club Mykonos and Blue Water Bay. The increased capacity for
tourism results in higher levels of impact on the environment in the form of increased pollution,
traffic, fishing and disturbance. Recent data on numbers of visitors to the West Coast National Park
indicate strong seasonal trends in numbers of people visiting the area (peaking in the summer
months and during the flower season) but there is no clear indication of growth in numbers in recent
years (Figure 3.6).
35000
30000
25000
Day guests
Overnight guests
International
guests
20000
15000
10000
5000
0
Figure 3.6.
Numbers of tourists visiting the West Coast National Park since 2005 (Data from Pierre Nel,
WCNP). Day guests include all South African visitors (adults and children) while Overnight
guests refer those staying in SANPARK accommodation. International guests include all SADC
and non-African day visitors (adults and children) while the category ‘Other’ includes
residents, staff, military, school visits, etc.
In terms of the Municipal Systems Act 2000 (Act 32 of 2000) every local municipality must
prepare an Integrated Development Plan (IDP) to guide development, planning and management
over the five year period in which a municipality is in power. A core component of an IDP is the
Spatial Development Framework (SDF) which is meant to relate the development priorities and the
objectives of geographic areas of the municipality and indicate how the development strategies will
be co-ordinated. An SDF aims to guide decision making on an ongoing basis such that changes,
needs and growth in the area can be managed to the benefit of the environment and its inhabitants.
The 2006 Saldanha Municipality IDP has been revised and replaced with the 2011/2012 IDP. The
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