Fishermen illegally using Virginia Pier despite closure
The metal gate of the barricade which was chained shut had been tampered with with one of the locks being broken off.
WHILE the City has repaired various railings around the pier which were damaged in heavy seas last year, Virginia Pier remains closed, that’s the official stance from uMhlanga ward councillor, Heinz de Boer. The City had erected a barbed wire barricade around the pier complete with a large metal gate that was chained with a lock.
However, when Northglen News visited the pier today more than seven fishermen were on the pier. The metal gate of the barricade which was chained shut had been tampered with – one of the locks had been broken off. Last year, in a short space of time, three fishermen drowned after allegedly falling off the pier.
Some of the fishermen who spoke to the newspaper on condition of anonymity said they were aware of the dangers of fishing on the pier and said it was their livelihood at stake.
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De Boer said he believed the City had left the gate and barbed wire in place to stop anglers from fishing off the pier.
“The state of the security measures are poor, the locks around the metal gate have rusted, while a portion of mesh fence topped with barbed wire is hanging off the pier. With that said, vandalism of any municipal property is a criminal act. That gate has been forced open and while the repairs of the damaged section have been mended, it’s not safe to use. The pier is a stormwater outlet and is not meant for fishing,” he said.
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