Small Harbours Phakisa, Coastal & Marine Tourism and Status of the 13 proclaimed fishing harbours; with Deputy Ministers

Video The Committee was briefed on the condition of South Africa's 13 small fishing harbours, which were a critical component of the coastal economy, food security, and the socioeconomic well-being of fishing communities along the country's approximately 3 000 km coastline. The Portfolio Committee on Forestry, Fisheries and Environment raised concerns about harbour security, infrastructure maintenance, governance gaps, and weak coordination between responsible departments. The need for clear performance indicators, improved interdepartmental collaboration, and measurable socioeconomic benefits, particularly for small-scale fishers and local communities was emphasised. Officials outlined ongoing initiatives, including the development of a memorandum of understanding to clarify roles and strengthen coordination, along with existing maintenance, security, and stakeholder engagement efforts. Key challenges included funding constraints, fragmented responsibilities, and implementation delays. The importance of prioritising immediate interventions, strengthening accountability, and ensuring follow-up reporting was highlighted, including written submissions on expenditure and partnerships, with a set deadline for responses. Key points coming to the fore during the Committee discussion were: Concerns about harbour security, governance fragmentation, and the need for clear key performance indicators, stronger enforcement, and improved coordination between the Department of Forestry, Fishers and the Environment (DFFE), the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI), and other stakeholders. Significant emphasis was placed on socioeconomic inclusion, particularly the need to support small-scale fishers, Expanded Public Works Programme workers, youth, and persons with disabilities, with measurable job creation and economic impact data. Infrastructure challenges across existing harbours were highlighted, including maintenance backlogs, dredging needs, ageing facilities, and underutilisation, with calls to prioritise upgrades before developing new harbours. The importance of formalising interdepartmental roles through an MOU was underscored, alongside improved monitoring, reporting, stakeholder engagement, and alignment with long term frameworks such as Operation Phakisa and 2035 goals.