Issued by: Ministry of Land Affairs
STATEMENT BY MR DEREK HANEKOM MP, MINISTER OF LAND AFFAIRS: TRANSFER OF STATE LAND IN SIMON'S TOWN
At a meeting held today at the Simon's Town Municipal Offices, broad consensus was reached to transfer certain state land on the coastal strip of Simon's Town to the National Parks Board, for inclusion into a future Cape Protected Nature Area.
The land in question consists of Erf 1166 (Froggy Farm) and Erf 1455 (Boulders). The Boulders Area is a well known tourist spot with its colony of Jackass Penguins and unique coastal flora, with Froggy Farm right adjacent to it.
Today's meeting follows on an earlier request from the Simon's Town Transitional Metropolitan Substructure to have the above land ceded to the Simon's Town Local Authority, a request which was originally approved in principle.
However, later developments necessitated a review of the situation. Following advertisements on the proposed transfer of the erven to the local authority, several objections were received from various quarters. The investigation into the creation of a Cape Protected Nature Area also impacted on the original decision to cede the land to the Simon's Town Local Authority.
A decision was taken at today's meeting not to cede the land to the local authority, but to transfer it to the National Parks Board as part of the broader initiatives surrounding the creation of a Cape Protected Nature Area. The meeting was attended by representatives of the Simon's Town Transitional Metropolitan Substructure, the Cape Peninsula Conservation Manager's Forum, the Wildlife Society of Southern Africa, the National Parks Board, the Friends of Simon's Town Coastline, the Simon's Town Ratepayers Association and by officials of the Departments of Land Affairs and Public Works.
ISSUED BY THE MINISTRY OF LAND AFFAIRS, 11 JANUARY 1996.