As more rainy winter days approach, Paulo César Smith Queiroz, a resident of Langebaan, has great concern regarding his property.
According to Queiroz, who lives on Main Road, Langebaan, his property has sustained severe damage as stormy weather washed away the beachfront situated across his property.
“Some of our neighbours’ homes washed away in 1997. I was 16 years old at the time. It has been a struggle to get the Saldanha Bay Municipality (SBM) to place sandbags and rocks in front of our home to protect it from further storm damage.
“I remember that I was the one, at the time, who pleaded with SBM to make a half-hearted effort to save our home, because our home is the last property on the beachfront.
“Since then, there has been no effort by SBM to maintain the rock boulders and to prevent further erosion, which inevitably will lead to the collapse of our home due to the blatant negligence and irresponsibility of the SBM,” he said.
Witnessing the hard work both his mother and father have done on the West Coast, it is difficult to fathom having to lose their home due to storms.
Living in the home for the past 28 years, Queiroz said all areas on the beachfront have been under repairs and maintenance, excluding their property. “Just two weeks before my father’s passing, we contracted Marracon Construction to load loads of rocks onto the existing rock barrier in front of our home, without any support whatsoever from SBM or the state.
“At this present date, we can clearly see the damages to our home due to annual recurring storms and the blatant negligence, disregard, and irresponsibility of the SBM.
“Our floors and walls have since cracked, and we fear that an inevitable collapse of our home is on the cards, and still no response or action from the SBM.”
Upon receiving a media inquiry from SBM regarding the issue, Tereza Burger, spokesperson for SBM, stated that the municipality is currently deliberating on the appropriate course of action, in line with its mandate, in response to the complaint received from the owner. “As we have not yet had the opportunity to engage with the relevant owner, following our consideration of the appropriate course of action, as mentioned above, we are unfortunately unable to provide comment to Weslander at this stage.”
