A community fundraising effort has raised R80 000 to restore Uvongo Pier, and work is expected to be completed before the festive season.

The project brings together Tidy Towns Shelly Beach to Margate, Ray Nkonyeni Municipality (RNM), Margate Round Table and Margate Engineering to address the deteriorating condition of the popular landmark, where badly rusted and broken handrails, including sections with holes, pose a safety risk to anglers and visitors.

Stephen Herbst of Tidy Towns said the funds had been raised within four hours.

He confirmed that a single donor had come forward to cover the project in full. Further details will be shared once the work is complete.

“The magic to get the money raised happened within four hours. Our slogan, ‘Together we can do so much more’, has again been the reason why the public trusts us,” he said.

Herbst thanked Ivan Mchunu, facilities manager at RNM, and the municipal team for their continued support.

Margate Engineering will provide the engineering, manufacture and installation of the new handrails free of charge.

Following a site visit and measurements, the team has begun planning the replacement railings, which will be made from the best quality marine-grade 316 stainless steel to withstand the coastal environment.

Geoff Howard-Tripp of Margate Engineering said the new design will feature three horizontal rails to improve safety for children and anglers and help prevent bait boxes from sliding off when waves break over the pier.

Manufacturing is expected to take two to three weeks, followed by about a week for installation. Work will be scheduled around the tides, with the pier expected to be closed for about a week during installation.

The restoration is expected to be completed by the end of November.

Reg and Christelle Horne of Tidy Towns Shelly Beach to Margate thanked everyone who contributed to the project.

“What a magnificent community we have, truly the best community to be a part of. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who contributed and helped make this possible,” they said.

For generations, Uvongo Pier has been a favourite fishing spot and a place of treasured memories for South Coast residents.

Herbst recalled childhood memories of diving among the rocks with Geoff’s son, Jason, to collect fishing sinkers and sell them to Luckys.

The Tidy Towns team also plans to spruce up the surrounding area and will keep the community updated as the restoration progresses.

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