PHILOSOPHY

We at Wavecrest, whilst being deeply grateful that we are blessed with many superb examples of different ecological environments, accept as our responsibility the need to protect and preserve this gem, at all costs.  The preservation of our environment therefore will take precedence over even the wishes of those of our guests, whose behaviour may be in conflict with these ideals.  With that premise always in mind, our team sees it as not only our duty, but our pleasure to ensure that our guests have a fantastic holiday.

A Wavecrest holiday must be relaxing, educational, but most of all we aim at giving our guests exciting, new and unforgettable experiences.

ECOLOGICAL THREATS

We are sure that you will find the article entitled How ORVs Destroy Beaches published in the Daily Dispatch of 12 October 2001 to be of interest.

Welcome to friends who are visiting our site in order to find ways to support our struggle to protect Wavecrest.

You may find this page interesting. Please read it and then go to History; a chronology of more recent related events can be found on the Mining Debate page.

The Public were invited by CIMEC to make submissions expressing their feelings in this regard. Our submission can be read by clicking here.

Threats to the ecosystem can be divided into groups determined by the culprits who cause the damage. It is the Wavecrest policy to engage each and every one of these threats. We are pleased to say that whereas the battle is far from over, on any one of the battlegrounds, significant successes have been achieved. Interested parties are invited to approach the Wavecrest team for more information, or in which ways they may become involved.

Threats by Guests and Visitors to the Area

It is regrettable that the traditional perception of the Transkei Wildcoast is that is that the country belongs to the "locals" and that they're messing it up anyway. For many, any commitment to the environment, or the laws to protect it, disappear as they cross the Kei river.


Threats by the Local Population

For centuries the natural bounty has provided for the food, fuel and building needs of the local population. The rapid population growth, however, combined with the reverse migration from cities to tribal villages, caused by the current economic collapse, has put severe additional pressure on the system. The leadership of each community strongly supports our objectives but there are, as always, individuals who care only for their short term gain.

Chopping of mangroves for fuel. Erosion.
Commercial harvesting of young hardwoods in the forest for poles. Poor farming techniques and ploughing within the wetlands and floodplains.
Erosion of uncontrolled mining of sand. Uncontrolled and illegal harvesting of sea life.
Illegal hunting. Tick infestation which has resulted from the corruption of government dipping initiative.

Threats by Ships at Sea

The use of the sea as a dustbin, dumping of waste at sea.

Tankers which flush their tanks at sea.

Illegal trawling of our reefs at night by local and foreign vessels.


Threats Posed by Ill Conceived Developments

The Iscor struggle, already described on the history page is just one of the potential threats to our environment, which may be disguised under the "enrichment/empowerment/development" propaganda deception. A badly planned dam or reservoir, for example, could destroy this incredibly valuable estuary forever.

Threats posed by Government Authorities

The Department of Environmental Affairs (Jack the ripper, baby sitter), has done it again. As fast as we were fighting to keep cowboys in their ORVs off the beaches our East London Branch was dishing our permits and advice as how to circumnavigate legislation.

After years of workshops and training of the local population into the sustainable and controlled harvesting of mussels, the regrowth on the rocks was most encouraging. It was necessary to enlist the authorities to discipline certain reapers who ignored the law and our best endeavours. Enter Marine Coast Management a department within DEEAT, who stopped all the crime completely, simply by legalising it, by issuing indemnities to few short of the entire population. As a consequence of this madness, the rocks are now bare and this valuable food source depleted.

Perlemoen pouching reached the Wild Coast in a big way, again we took whatever action we could and reported offenders. Once again, our hero, MCM is proceeding to issue indemnities ad lib to anyone, for Perlemoen, lobsters, oysters, mussels and anything else. What a brilliant idea to fight crime. Issue indemnities for everything. The writer plans to apply for an indemnity to rob just 1 bank a week.