WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT!
Our team is working to protect the Sandbaai Coastal Strip by rezoning it to conservation status (Public Open Space Zone 1), but we need your signature on our petition from the people of Sandbaai, to make a clear statement to the Overstrand Municipality that the people of Sandbaai want their coastal strip rezoned and protected.
Our Proposal
Many Sandbaai residents are concerned about the future of our coastline. It is a source of beauty, milkwood and fynbos flora, and a habitat for wildlife. We take pride in and wish to support our coastal path and beach. We must protect our coastline for future generations. We are preparing an application to rezone SANDBAAI Ward 7 COASTAL STRIP including SANDBAAI WETLANDS as ZONE 1, but we must show community support through a public participation petition.
The Details
- The Sandbaai coastal strip and wetlands area is currently zoned as “Public Open Space ZONE 2” (POS2)
- “Public Open Space ZONE 1” (POS1) offers legal conservation status and provides greater opportunity for conservation, protection and restoration of our Sandbaai coastal strip.
- Most of the coastline in urban Hermanus is “Public Open Space ZONE 1”
- Only the coastal strip from the New Harbour to Vermont is ZONE 2. (which includes Sandbaai)
- The URBAN coastal strips of Pearly Beach, Franskraal, Gansbaai, Kleinmond, Betty’s Bay, Pringle Bay and Rooiels are already zoned as POS1 (Nature Conservation) areas .
(Please refer to ArcGIS Overstrand Zoning Maps below.) - The Overstrand Municipality has the authority to rezone an area after relevant prescribed requirements have been fulfilled.
- The Sandbaai coastal strip is eligible to be zoned as Zone 1, aligned with the Overstrand Coastal Protection Management Plan (as extracted below)
ArcGIS Overstrand Zoning Maps
Overstrand Coastal Protection Management Plan (excerpt)
GOAL
Promote conservation of biodiversity, ecosystem function, and the sustainable use of natural resources
OBJECTIVE 1
Maintain and promote a network of coastal protected areas
OBJECTIVE 2
Identify and rehabilitate damaged or degraded coastal ecosystems and habitats
Roleplayers in the REZONING PROJECT:
• Professor Jeanine Vellema
• Mr. Egbert Klapwijk (Afriforum Environmental Division)
• Advocate Edmund Wessels
• Mr. Hugo Potgieter
• Schulphoek Action Group (SAG)
• Sandbaai Ratepayers Association (SRPA)
• Sandbaai Community Voluntary Improvement District (SCVID)
More Zoning Info
Overstrand Municipality Land Use Scheme, 2020 (Schedule 2)
DEFINITIONS:
- “NATURE RESERVE” means a national park or environmental conservation area, whether in public or private ownership, that has been declared or registered as a nature reserve in terms of legislation for the purpose of conserving and managing wildlife, flora and fauna in a predominantly natural habitat; it includes conservation use but does not include tourist facilities or tourist accommodation;
- “PUBLIC OPEN SPACE” means land which is in public ownership, used primarily for outdoor sports, play, rest or recreation or as a park area or nature area, and includes associated buildings, infrastructure and uses
Background of the re-zoning application:
Started with an ‘informal’ meeting on Sandbaai Beach, to discuss the SANDBAAI BEACH DEVELOPMENT, the WETLAND behind the beach and STORMWATER DAMAGE to WETLAND and BEACH. Present were: Cllr Lombard, Cllr Lerm, Mr Roy Groenewald, Mr Egbert Klapwijk, a person from Cape Nature and Prof. Jeanine Vellema. Concerns (inter alia) over degradation of beach and stormwater impact on ‘sand levels’ of the beach, were discussed.
‘Formal’ meeting took place on 11 Nov 2024 with Ms Liezl de Villiers (OM Divisional Manager: Environmental Management and Conservation), her OM team (De Wet Nel, Chester Arendse, Timothy Europa Penelope Aplon), Cllr Lombard & Egbert Klapwijk (Afriforum Environmental Division) and Prof. Jeanine Vellema. Discussed the Sandbaai Beach ‘development’ and mainly improved environmental protection & conservation options for Sandbaai BEACH, the adjacent and inland WETLANDS and remainder of SANDBAAI’S COASTAL STRIP.
Recommendation by Liezl de Villiers was that we could apply for REZONING of our Sandbaai coastal strip & wetlands from its current Public Open Space Zone 2, to Public Open Space Zone 1, which has ‘nature conservation / preservation’ status However, application may only be done after consultation with our Ward Councillor and via our Ward 7 Committee, after which (rather complex) municipal REZONING application processes could be initiated.
The OM Town Planning Division and Property Administration Division have specific guidelines and procedures that need to be followed with rezoning requests, in keeping with the OM Spatial Development Framework. Various laws, bylaws and policies inform the (rather complex) processes to be followed in such a REZONING application, at National, Provincial and Municipal levels.
We were asked to identify the specific properties proposed for rezoning, to prepare for a meeting with the various relevant OM departments, our MMC and Ward Councillor. We submitted these to Liezl de Villiers, including: Erf Numbers, Perimeter- and Area Size measurements.
Ward 7 Committee meeting did not resolve the issue.
Overstrand Municipality Land Use Scheme, 2020 (Schedule 2) – Chapter 12 Excerpt
12.1 OPEN SPACE ZONE 1: NATURE RESERVE (OS1)
Use of the property
12.1.1 The following use restrictions apply to property in this zone:
a) Primary uses are: nature reserve and conservation use.
b) Consent uses are: dwelling units, environmental facilities, transmission apparatus (subject to the provisions of Chapter 16.10), tourist accommodation, tourist facilities, utility service and any other related uses permitted by the Municipality.
Development parameters
12.1.2 The following development parameters apply:
a) A site development plan must be submitted in terms of 16.3 to the satisfaction of the Municipality.
b) The Municipality may require an environmental study and/or environmental management plan in terms of 16.4.
c) Prior to the approval of any building plans or engineering services, the Municipality must determine the development parameters applicable to a land unit when:
i. the zoning of a land unit to this zone is approved;
ii. any environmental impact report is considered;
iii. any environmental management plan is considered; and
iv. any site development plan is approved.
d) Structures/buildings may be erected with the written consent of the Municipality, should the Municipality deem it necessary, provided that the Municipality may impose conditions relating to design, architecture and development parameters.
12.2 OPEN SPACE ZONE 2: PUBLIC OPEN SPACE (OS2)
Use of the property
12.2.1 The following use restrictions apply to property in this zone:
a) Primary use is: public open space.
b) Consent uses are: cemetery, environmental facilities, informal trading (subject to the provisions of Chapter 16.10), recreational facilities, tourist facilities, transmission apparatus (subject to the provisions of Chapter 16.10), urban agriculture, utility service, any other related uses permitted by the Municipality.
Development parameters
12.2.2 The following development parameters apply:
a) A site development plan must be submitted in terms of 16.3 to the satisfaction of the Municipality.
b) The Municipality may require an environmental study and/or environmental management plan in terms of 16.4.
c) Prior to the approval of any building plans or engineering services, the Municipality must determine the development parameters that apply when:
i. the zoning of a land unit to this zone is approved;
ii. any environmental impact report is considered;
iii. any environmental management plan is considered; and
iv. any site development plan is approved.
d) No structure shall be erected or use practised except such as is compatible with “public open space” as defined.
e) Structures/buildings may be erected with the written consent of the Municipality, should the Municipality deem it necessary, provided that the Municipality may impose conditions relating to design, architecture and developments parameters.
Documents with comprehensive details & references
Professor Vellema gave a presentation to the Ward 7 Committee (18 Feb 2025)
Read the full text “VELLEMA-COASTAL-WETLAND-REZONING-Feb25FINALREFS.pdf”
ArcGIS Overstrand Zoning Maps
Download the Maps
English 
Afrikaans
Wow thanks so much – this looks impressive … and VERY clear, I think !!
I’m proud to be part of such a great initiative. It is crucial that we protect our coastal strip for future generations.
Thank you to all roll players, greatly appreciated your efforts on something that affects the whole of Sandbaai community
Thank you to all of you that have put all your time and effort to make this possible to save our beautiful coastal strip for all our Sandbaai and those who visit. If we all stand together we can make it happen. .
Save our beautiful coastal strip for future generations!!!….
We want human diversity? So nature diversity too. Too important to neglect.
I think the entire Walker Bay should be a marine reserve as well!
Great initiative 👏
If we do not look after our beautiful environment it will soon be gone. Absolutely our duty to save life giving nature.
Save our Coastline , it’s crucial
Save our so beautiful nature.
Save our so beautiful caostline.
Nature Conservation absolutely important
Unity is strength
The coastal zone is important for foraging and breeding marine life, resident and migratory birds included. It’s essential to expand protected areas to restore biodiversity balance – for the health of the marine and land environment. So much has been destroyed already, it’s time to restore every possible part of the natural environment
The sea and the land are intertwined. To protect one is to protect both.
Let us work together to safeguard the beauty and bounty of our coastlines.
This natural coastline needs to be protected.
Protect our coastline
Totally supportive. May I ask what are the reasons provided by OM for saying this cannot be done?
The excuses given were that: 1)it would take time and effort for the municipal officials to file the paperwork to rezone. 2)it would cost the municipality money – money that we pay them in taxes and should have a say in how it is spent. 3)it wouldn’t make much of a difference, though it would. See excuse #1. 4)the coastline is not pristine because there are benches on the kuspad and parking at the beaches. But that makes no sense as much more developed urban coastal strips are zone 1. There are parts that need to be rehabilitated too, which zone 1 would support. See excuse #1 again.
Bewaaring van ons kuslyn is n moet.
Dit moet bewaar word teen mense wat misbruik maak daar van.
Bewaar ons Sandbaai kyslyn
Spaar die kuslyn en natuur.
Protect our coastline
Please keep the Sandbaai Coastal area as a Nature Conservation…
Protect and keep the Fauna and Flora as well as all Marine life on the coast and surrounding areas safe…
Thank You
There is so little coastline protected in SA, it’s time for the public to prevent yet another strip being ruined. When it’s built up then the public will have no access to the coast