ARBU institutes procedings to establish a local municipal coastal committee

The Association of Recreational beach users has began the procedings to institute a local municipality coastal management committee as is required by the ICMA (Integrated CoastalManagement Act)

We have written a letter to the mayor of Mtubatuba Municipality requesting a meeting to discuss the setting up of this committee as soon as is practicaly possible so that we may proceed to establish the Mtubatuba local Municipality coastal management Committee.

If the Mtubatuba Municipalty does not have a Coastal management plan in place then one will be provided for us in which we will have no input or influence. If we have a committee in place the Act mandates

the Minister,

the MEC

The IWPA (iSimangaliso Wetland Park Authority)

The national coastalanagement committee

the provincial coastal managemenyt committee

to consult with the local municipality coastal committee on any matters effecting their coastal management plan.

This will alow us as the Association of recreational beach users to have some influence in the matters affecting our members and the potential tourism impacts which any changes to the mtubatuba municipal coastal management plan which may be forecd upon us by the higher levels of the coastal management system envisaged by the ICMA

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Beach Access Forum

The management of uMhlatuze local municipality and the uThungulu District Municipality have picked up that beach access is a problem within the local and domestic tourism market, and are working on ways to address the issue.

This is good news for all those who would like to access our beaches along the KZN Coast line but find it too dangerous because of the long distance one walks from your vehicle.

This has lead to the formation of a forum to discuss these issues and make recomendations. The beach Access Forum held their second meeting on Monday 22 June 2009 in Richards bay.

The second meerting of the Beach access forum (BAF) was rather fruitfull from my perspective, as those present were all committed and willing to put an effort in to make this formum successful.

I attended this meeting as the CEO of Info4u CC and not as a representive or spokes person for the Association of Recreational Beach Users (ARBU), and the next meeting to be held on Monday 6 July will see a few more faces, including a spokes person for the Association of Recreational Beach users (ARBU)

This space has been idle for some time now, but I feel we will soon liven this up with the actions being taken by the delegates to the BAF (Beach Access Forum)

more comming soon !