West Coast fisherwomen fight for their fishing rights

Fisherwomen from the West Coast protested at the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment (DFFE) offices in Cape Town, demanding the reinstatement of their permits and an internal investigation into whether DFFE officials have private interests that override small-scale fisher rights.

Ubuntu Rural Women and Youth Movement, which has supported West Coast fisherwomen in securing fishing rights, has led to women comprising over 60% of the Doringbaai cooperative, is calling for an urgent investigation and action regarding irregularities affecting the small-scale fisher cooperative.

Ubuntu said fisherwomen has faced internal challenges: a small group received disproportionately large payouts (R40k-R50k vs. R1000) and increased fees without member approval, despite Ubuntu raising these issues with the DFFE.

After a democratically elected new leadership took over, the DFFE terminated the cooperative's 15-year permit due to the former board's failure to submit required financial statements, Ubuntu explained.

It said the new board reapplied, but that DFFE cancelled the application this week, citing outstanding documentation, which Ubuntu disputes, stating all documents were resubmitted.

Armed with placards and a memorandum, the Doringbay Lighthouse Primary Fishing Cooperative said under the leadership of former minister of DFFE, Barbara Creecy, granted the right to a 15-year fishing permit in 2023.

They made the following demands: the immediate reinstatement of their permits, an internal investigation into the conduct of department of small-scale officials, an urgent internal investigation into the issues affecting the cooperative in Doringbaai, and an urgent meeting with the department and the new board of the cooperative.

Following the handover, Wendy Pekeur, Founder and Coordinator of Ubuntu Rural Women and Youth Movement, stated, “The Deputy Director and Chief came to receive our memorandum. It was a very positive and beautiful moment for the fisherwomen, and we were addressed by DFFE. The fisherwomen are grateful for the permits they were granted; they were granted a 15-year licence, and it is due to people not working with it well that we are sitting with this situation. We are positive.”

Pekeur said a memorandum was previously handed over to the Minister’s office in 2023, in order for more women to obtain permits that would allow them to have a livelihood.

“However, the women encountered several challenges along the way. A small group of fishers was not at all welcoming," she said.

"In the last two years, only a handful of fishers and their families have benefited in real, tangible ways. Whilst the majority of cooperative members received a R1000 payout at the end of a season, these few fishers would each receive between R40 000 and R50 000.”

Pekeur said the catching fees  were increased without a decision being made by the cooperative members as required by the Constitution. “We engaged the DFFE on several occasions on this issue and informed them about the irregularities. At the last AGM, the cooperative's members democratically elected a new leadership.

“The Department terminated the permit under the former board of directors' leadership because they could not provide the required financial statements and information. The new board of directors had to reapply for the permit, which they did. The board of directors followed all processes and resubmitted a new application at a meeting among the cooperative's leaders, Ubuntu, and the Department."

Zolile Nqayi, communications for DFFE, told Cape Argus in response: “It was received and we are awaiting a response from Fisheries.”

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Cape Argus