By Malungelo Booi

ONE of the Eastern Cape’s most notorious beaches, Second Beach at Port St Johns in the Transkei, is set to receive a R4.5 million facelift.

Port St Johns municipal manager, Zola Hewu, who confirmed the move, said the plan would see the popular beach being rehabilitated after it was left in a state of disrepair following heavy rains in the area last year.

'We want to give it a new look that would be attractive to revellers and tourists in our town,' Hewu said.

The rehabilitation plans include:

• Building sidewalks for pedestrians;
• Refurbishing toilet facilities, some of which have not been working for months;
• Building a proper parking area; and
• Erecting street lights at the beach.

Hewu said they also planned to beautify the area beyond the shoreline by planting grass.

The money has already been secured from the Provincial department of roads, transport, safety and security and work is expected to start in August.

Second Beach is considered to be the most dangerous beach in the Eastern Cape with more than 12 drownings reported there over the past two years .

Last year the council approved a bylaw prohibiting traditional healers from conducting rituals and slaughtering animals at the beach during ceremonies, as this attracted sharks closer to shore.

While the initial phase prioritises Second beach, the plan also looks at reviving Agaterrace beach at Ferry point, which goes across the Mzimvubu river. Hewu said his municipality was also involved in talks with the Natal sharks board for the installation of shark safety nets at Second beach. The move follows the death of a 24-year-old lifeguard in a suspected shark attack at the beach.

Department spokesperson Ncedo Kumbaca said funding this project was part of a strategy to restore the beach to its former glory and to revive the Eastern Cape coastline.

'We are also planning to revive the port in that town before 2010 because were are planning to have a cruise ship that would carry visitors from this town to Coffee Bay, Kei Mouth, East London and Port Elizabeth so that they can see the beauty of this province,' said Kumbaca.

Residents in the town believe that the work at Second beach is long overdue.

Matthew Enslin, manager for Wittham Hill guest house, said: 'You really cannot get to the beach due to the conditions.'

Enslin welcomed the fact that something was finally being done to improve conditions at the beach.

Port St Johns resident and freelance writer Richard Clark said the foundations of buildings close to the shoreline would be tested if tides pushed up significantly during storms, which could lead to some of the establishments being washed away.

Source: Daily Dispatch