National tourism minister Derek Hanekom said one of his priorities for the Eastern Cape was to make sure its beaches retained their Blue Flag status while adding more to the list.
Blue Flag beaches have been internationally certified as environmentally safe and clean.
The Blue Flag status is awarded based on water quality, environmental education and information, environmental management, and safety and services.
The prestigious but hard-earned Blue Flag is a powerful drawcard for tourists around the world.
Speaking to the Daily Dispatch at the launch of tourism month at Gariep Dam in the Free State, Hanekom said his department had employed 400 workers to clean beaches across the country.
He said the Expanded Public Works-type programme would be launched next month and would have a strong focus on Blue Flag beaches.
According to the Blue Flag South Africa website, the Eastern Cape has eight Blue Flag beaches.
None of them are in Buffalo City Metro.
They include Dolphin Beach in Jeffery’s Bay, Humewood Beach in Port Elizabeth, Kariega and Middle beaches in Kenton-on-Sea, Kelly’s Beach in Port Alfred, Kleinemonde Beach and Hamburg Beach.
The last BCM beach to have Blue Flag status was Gonubie Beach.
Gonubie gained pilot Blue Flag status in 2004 but lost it in 2007 due to poor water quality.
It regained the coveted status again in 2009 only to lose it again four months later because BCM officials failed to submit water samples within the allocated time.
Blue Flag beaches are required to submit water samples once a month in order to retain their status.
The loss sparked widespread outrage from the local tourism sector, opposition parties and the Gonubie Ratepayers’ Association.
Questions and phone calls to BCM spokesman Sibusiso Cindi on the matter were not responded to at the time of going to print.
Hanekom said his department was working closely with municipalities in the Eastern Cape and the provincial government to exploit tourism opportunities along the coast.
He said the Eastern Cape coastline had huge potential.
“The Eastern Cape doesn’t need a mine. Tourism is better than a mine becauseyou run out of gold.
“Right now commodity prices are low but tourism is flying.”
The minister said the province needed to fight for its share of tourists coming into the country.
“The Eastern Cape has massive tourism potential and is also very diverse,” he said.
“It’s got some of the most spectacular coastal places and the Wild Coast is fantastic.
“The province also has safari experiences with places like Addo Elephant Park.
“They don’t talk about the Big Five here but the Big Seven because you see the big five and plenty more, including the great white shark and the southern right whale because the park adjoins the coast.” — malibongwed@dispatch.co.za
Hanekom’s initiative to boost Blue Flag beaches
Blue Flag beaches have been internationally certified as environmentally safe and clean.
The Blue Flag status is awarded based on water quality, environmental education and information, environmental management, and safety and services.
The prestigious but hard-earned Blue Flag is a powerful drawcard for tourists around the world.
Speaking to the Daily Dispatch at the launch of tourism month at Gariep Dam in the Free State, Hanekom said his department had employed 400 workers to clean beaches across the country.
He said the Expanded Public Works-type programme would be launched next month and would have a strong focus on Blue Flag beaches.
According to the Blue Flag South Africa website, the Eastern Cape has eight Blue Flag beaches.
None of them are in Buffalo City Metro.
They include Dolphin Beach in Jeffery’s Bay, Humewood Beach in Port Elizabeth, Kariega and Middle beaches in Kenton-on-Sea, Kelly’s Beach in Port Alfred, Kleinemonde Beach and Hamburg Beach.
The last BCM beach to have Blue Flag status was Gonubie Beach.
Gonubie gained pilot Blue Flag status in 2004 but lost it in 2007 due to poor water quality.
It regained the coveted status again in 2009 only to lose it again four months later because BCM officials failed to submit water samples within the allocated time.
Blue Flag beaches are required to submit water samples once a month in order to retain their status.
The loss sparked widespread outrage from the local tourism sector, opposition parties and the Gonubie Ratepayers’ Association.
Questions and phone calls to BCM spokesman Sibusiso Cindi on the matter were not responded to at the time of going to print.
Hanekom said his department was working closely with municipalities in the Eastern Cape and the provincial government to exploit tourism opportunities along the coast.
He said the Eastern Cape coastline had huge potential.
“The Eastern Cape doesn’t need a mine. Tourism is better than a mine becauseyou run out of gold.
“Right now commodity prices are low but tourism is flying.”
The minister said the province needed to fight for its share of tourists coming into the country.
“The Eastern Cape has massive tourism potential and is also very diverse,” he said.
“It’s got some of the most spectacular coastal places and the Wild Coast is fantastic.
“The province also has safari experiences with places like Addo Elephant Park.
“They don’t talk about the Big Five here but the Big Seven because you see the big five and plenty more, including the great white shark and the southern right whale because the park adjoins the coast.” — malibongwed@dispatch.co.za
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