Govt delegation's visit to Hout Bay Harbour draws community's anger

CAPE TOWN - A government delegation to the Hout Bay Harbour has been met with some hostility by angry community members. 
 
Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis and Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson visited the harbour as part of a tour of government's hijacked buildings and neglected land in the metro.
 
The Public Works and Infrastructure Department is the custodian of the harbour.
 
A long history of who manages and controls the harbour, between all spheres of government, has led to its degradation.
 
Macpherson said that his department planned to revamp the harbour and turn it into a thriving business spot.
 
"It is something that we started to talk about in our department, about how we can better use harbours for economic growth development and jobs in communities like Hout Bay, that can benefit the community of Hangberg and surroundings."
 
However, angry community members were furious that they were not consulted about the visit.
 
Hout Bay community activist Roscoe Jacobs: "So now we have them having a walkabout with businesspeople here on the Harbour but the people who actually want to access these opportunities are being excluded from this process. So, we must find them along the way, and it doesn't work like that."