Anglers’ port permits being processed
PERMITS are finally being issued to subsistence fishermen who have been banned from fishing in the Durban Harbour since 2009.
Transnet Port Authority issued the first set of permits on Saturday and Sunday, 17 and 18 August, allowing access to the north and south piers, which were previously closed off due to security concerns.
Last year the KwaZulu-Natal Subsistence Fishers Forum (KZNSFF) appealed against the ban. Discussions with the port authority led to the ban being lifted and designated fishing areas were decided. In May this year about 4,000 subsistence fishermen applied for permits at a session at the Clairwood Tamil Institute, organised by KZNSFF. These permits were then handed over to Transnet for processing.
As only a limited number of permits can be issued per day, all applicants must call KZNSFF to determine which day they must present themselves for collection, along with their identity document. Contact Desmond D’Sa on 083-982-6939, or for Chatsworth, contact Essop Mohammed on 031-404-8780 or 083-786-4175.
