Sharks Board hosts MEC on net meshing exercise
The MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs was taken to sea to witness the meshing of nets rendered by KZNSB.
THE KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board Maritime Centre of Excellence (KZNSB) hosted the MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (EDTEA) in KZN, Mr Sihle Zikalala, to witness the meshing of nets rendered by KZNSB off the Durban beachfront on Friday morning.
Beach clean-up activity also formed part of the experience of the day.
The sighting afforded Mr Zikalala and other officials the opportunity to learn more about KZN Sharks Board’s core business. The entity is mandated by the KZN Provincial Government to be environmentally sensitive bather protection against sharks and a thriving maritime skills sector that enhances inclusive economic growth.
The Sharks Board used one of the passenger boats called Dabulamanzi and the MEC was accompanied by KZNSB’s Board of Directors, CEO Mr Mthokozisi Radebe, and executive members. Among the few things discussed on board was the progress made so far in terms of a newly developed non-lethal bather protection method called the Sharks Repellent Technology (SRT), which is the Sharks Board’s brain-child. This 100-metre-long cable, emits a low frequency pulsed electronic signal, which is aimed at having the dangerous sharks repelled away without harming or having them killed in the process.
KZNSB is an organisation that maintains shark nets and drum lines off the coast of KwaZulu-Natal Province, to protect bathers and surfers from shark attacks at 38 places along 320 km of coastline. KZNSB is one of the 12 institutions under MEC Zikalala and is one of the key role players in coastal and marine tourism in KZN and a major participant of the oceans economy, Operation Phakisa.
