THE TRUE FACTS OF THE KENTON SAND DUNE.
HAVE YOU BEEN GIVEN THE CORRECT FACTS?
KENTON HAS THE BEST APPROVED SOLUTION.
Many received a newsletter from KOSRA and a petition last month regarding the Kenton Sand Dune. Both these communications are based on incorrect facts.
You have been misled by someone who has refused to listen to the professional advisors and has never had a discussion with them. They have examined the Bushmans River and Dry Bones Valley (DBV) in great detail over many years and understand the many variables that are causing the problems. They understand how best to manage these as this is their expertise and they have much experience of similar problems.
REFUSAL OF ESTUARY CARE TO SEE THE CONSULTANTS
In July 2020, Estuary Care (EC) were asked to discuss the issues with the consultants, PRDW (coastal engineers) and CES (environmental). Instead, Chester Wilmot advised KSDNA that they would see them when they agreed with his solution to open up Dry Bones Valley (DBV). . hence, EC continued to refuse to see coastal engineers.
ESTUARY CARE LOSE ALL THEIR APPEALS WITH DEDEAT
EC appealed against the Ndlambe Municipal maintenance plan (MMP). The government authority, DEDEAT, requested EC in May 2021 to meet with the consultants in order for them to finalise their decision. The chairmen of EC (not Chester Wilmot) and KOSRA met them on the 14 may 2021.the consultants agreed to make some changes to the Ndlambe MMP and believed that they had reached agreement and this was conveyed to them on the 17 may. It was rejected by EC and KOSRA on the 18 May 2021. DEDEAT then asked for the full transcript of the meeting and on 5 July 2021 EC were advised by DEDEAT that their appeal was dismissed. They were advised that’” the latest scientific information was utilized in arriving at the final decision of authorisation” .
KOSRA AND EC DO NOT HAVE THE NECESSARY EXPERTISE
In august 2020 Chester Wilmot advised KSDNA that his objective was to delay the municipality implementing their MMP. It is now nearly 3 years since the approved MMP should have been completed and so he has succeeded so far and without any acceptable reason. The mess at the end of Westbourne Road is testament to his failure to understand all the many issues that need to be considered. During these years, ratepayers money has been wasted and considerable unnecessary costs incurred and municipal management time diverted from more important matters. The transcript of the meeting with the consultants on the 14 may, 2021 made it very clear that ec and KOSRA were not technically equipped to produce a MMP and had never done so. Both EC and KOSRA had accepted the presentations to them made by PRDW after they had completed their investigations. Why has it been allowed to go so wrong?
THE KENTON COMMUNITY BEING MISLED
The community have now received in December 2024 misleading and incorrect information and a petition that many have been asked to support based on incorrect facts. It has been made absolutely clear to EC that the proposals in the petition will never be authorised, would be many times more costly and would provide no solution. This has been pointed out to them many times. And yet it continues beyond the patience of all coastal engineers and municipal advisors. It is time the true and correct position is understood by the community.
Why is KSDNA now being maligned? KSDNA have supported a professional solution as requested by EC at the outset. It is not their solution but the best independent professional solution. The present situation being followed by EC and KOSRA is unacceptable as it based on incorrect facts and is unworthy of our community.
THE APPROVED MUNICIPAL MAINTENANCE PLAN AND SOLUTION
Kenton has an approved solution that will provide attractive access to DBV, Shelley Beach and Bushmans. A permanent solution that requires no further cost to prevent the destruction of property and the DBV. The reprofiling will take less than 8 weeks and will be completed in an off-peak period. It will enable the cheapest and best means of managing future accumulating sand. This sand will be removed in the future during two week off-peak periods on suitable roads inhabited by 1% of permanent residents of Kenton. Only a handful of people will be aware of this work and be aware of any noise. And then only for a very short period there will be no inconvenience caused to anyone. It will not cause any threat to the closing of the estuary.
LET US COME TOGETHER AND BE PROUD OF RESTORING OUR BEAUTIFUL SURROUNDINGS.
This is a wonderful project that all will be very proud of. It is time for our communities to come together and stop being misled. Can we please stop wasting ratepayers money because that is only what the December KOSRA communications will cause. It will achieve nothing and will destroy all future respect for these two advisory bodies. It is now time for them to accept that they have been misled and demonstrate they will do the right thing. Respect and credibility will be restored and we can move forward together.
Our communities must come together and return Kenton to a happy and beautiful place.
A very happy new year to you all.
At last!!!!
A HAPPY KENTON COMMUNITY WITH A GREAT SOLUTION
TO THEIR SAND DUNE PROBLEM
Since the Talk of the Town Thursday edition 19 December, last year, headed “Kenton sand dune war looms” KSDNA believes it important that our communities should know the correct facts.
Ndlambe Municipality started a long journey some 10 years ago to enable it to manage the many sand problems along the Municipality’s coast. It has become increasingly clear that the Municipality has undertaken a thorough and correct exercise in making sure that sound and long-term solutions were produced for the various problem areas. One of these was the Kenton Sand Dune.
There is no reason for the ongoing misunderstandings concerning the Kenton Sand Dune. If there had been better communication with the two highly respected Coastal Engineers (Aurecon and PRDW) and the very experienced environmental firm CES represented Dr Ted Avis, then the Kenton sand Dune would have been resolved three years ago.
10 years ago the Chairmen of Estuary Care (EC), Ted Gilfillan and KOSRA (Simon Olive)r asked for help regarding the increasing silting of the Bushmans river. Robert Rose and Ted Gilfillan met with Rolly Dumezwemi and his engineering team and discussed the issues. The outcome of this meeting was an acceptance that this matter was serious and required special expertise which did not exist in Ndlambe . Robert was asked if he could help them find the best and most experienced coastal engineers who would be prepared to examine the problems concerning the Bushmans river and possibly the Kariega river. Robert was advised by a few to meet the Chief Executive of PRDW who were based in Cape Town.
This led to a desk top examination of Chester Wilmot’s ideas of opening up Dry Bones Valley (DBV). This report in 2015 made it absolutely clear that whilst sand would blow down DBV, that until a thorough survey was undertaken of the Bushmans river and all the completely changed environment that had developed as a result of the inevitable slowing of the river over many decades, that no recommendations could be made by PRDW. Chester Wilmot continued to mislead the community as he is fully aware that the resulting completion of the full survey by PRDW made it very clear that opening up of DBV was by no means the only option and could well be the wrong solution. It has proven to be the wrong and unacceptable solution in the opinion of both Aurecon and PRDW, the two reputable coastal engineering firms, and confirmed in the Environmental Assessment that followed.
It became very obvious that the volumes of silting sand were many times greater than in the past. A roadway and car park had been built at Middle Beach in the direct path of the wind. A sand dune was starting to build and move from middle beach towards Bushmans. Winds were blowing in the opposite direction towards Bushmans from Middle Beach. Opening up DBV, even if it was permiseable in terms of the legislation covering Nature reserves, would be problematic and provide no solution. The cost of moving sand much more problematic and more costly.
Ndlambe had to obtain an environmental assessment for all the problem areas and after a tender, the very reputable firm of Aurecon was awarded this task and the completion of public hearings. This exercise was very thorough and Aurecon had full access to PRDW and the many options that had been examined. Estuary Care would have made their representations. The outcome of Aurecon’s investigations were very clear. Opening up DBV was not an option for many valid reasons. Not only was it full of risk and additional management and cost but damage would continue to be done to the Nature Reserve. Why does Estuary Care continue to ignore the importance of the Nature Reserve to the community? They do not advise the community on costs and do not appear to have done any costing of all the aspects. Why do they show no respect and obligation to preserve this wonderful valley. There are many in the community who consider this most important. DEDEAT upheld the Environment Assessment which required that the minimum of vegetation should be removed. Why does Estuary Care and KOSRA have difficulty accepting this? All their objections are dismissed and with reason.
It will be seen from the KSDNA notice, published next to this article, that Estuary Care refused to discuss the plan that PRDW had produced for the Municipality. Instead EC Appealed against this plan. DEDEAT then requested them to discuss this with PRDW and CES and their Chairman met with them on the 14 May 2021. Progress was made, but as covered in the notice, EC declined to accept what the consultants believed had been agreed. Chester Wilmot was not at this meeting. DEDEAT asked for the transcript of the Meeting. DEDEAT dismissed the Estuary Care Appeal on the 5 July,2021.
Much has been made by Estuary Care of the risk of reprofiling the dune that may cause the estuary to close. This is absolutely incorrect. It nevertheless demonstrates the lack of understanding of the river by KOSRA and EC. Whilst no recent detailed assessment has been made of the river, it is likely that well over 90% of the sand deposited each day by the tides is left on the riverbed each day. Only a very small amount of sand is deposited in front of the sand dune. There is no risk from the sand dune where new deposits will be managed in the future.
The fact is that the Consultants advise that the mouth of the river will never close. Despite the massive increase in sand deposits that all can see between the road bridge and the mouth of the river, they advise that the mouth/estuary of the river is unlikely to ever close. The community can see the beaches that are being formed and this is another positive development that needs to be better understood. This is another subject for the future and of greater importance than the sand dune.
The Ndlambe Management have followed the process required by DEDEAT. They have fallen over backwards to accommodate the concerns of KOSRA and EC. All these concerns have been fully addressed and incorporated by the Consultants. A new Aerial survey will now be done for the Municipality as there have been changes in the dune. The consultants are fully aware of the concerns of EC and KOSRA. Appropriate adjustments will be considered by them where these can be encompassed within the MMP approvals and do not impair the optimum solution of the MMP.
All communities will soon understand that the Consultants know what they are doing and the emotional outcry will soon be put to rest. When they see the landscaped access paths and the beach that will be kept in pristine condition in the future, they will wonder what all the fuss was about. That is the experience of many similar problems along our wonderful coast.
