Hi guys and girls. Some disturbing news has just come to light regarding the Vaal. Check out the following written by Clive Brown:

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Fellow kayakers

Any of you who were down at Gatsien this weekend will have seen a rather disturbing thing. The landowner on river left has strung a length of coiled razor wire across the sloping rocks along side the bottom hole at Gatsien. The wire extends all the way down past the gum trees on the river left effectively making a portage back up to above the rapid from below impossible. I think Hugh from WWT has some pictures of this masterpiece on his website.

This is just one action which I fear is a sign of things to come on the Vaal. Land value along the river has climbed exponentially and there are numerous new developments along the river. I believe that although no one can stop us using the river, it is a public resource, if we do not get our act together we stand a good chance of losing all access to the good paddling sections. Presently we have park and play access to Gatsien only by the generosity of Stonehenge River lodge.

As much as most kayakers hate the formality of clubs and organised sport I believe that if we do not organise ourselves into some sort of group with some negotiating power and a voice on issues concerning our rivers we will be sidelined and lose access to our most valuable paddling areas. Unfortunately times are changing in our country and river access is not going to be a given for much longer.

I propose that, as a start, we as recreational paddlers on the Vaal elect some sort of representative group, probably a committee of two or three people who can take up issues like this on our behalf. The first issue to address would be the razor wire at Gatsien.

Regarding the issue of the razor wire our approach could be:

The wire is below the high water mark and therefore technically not on the owners land.
If the landowner wants to keep trespasses off his land we will help him to do this. Remember by staying below the high water mark we are not trespassing.
If (and when) the razor wire is washed into the river and a kayaker is injured by the razor wire, there is a good chance that that kayaker will seek reparation from the landowner who knowingly put this dangerous obstacle in the river.

Another issue which could be addressed by the committee could be to secure some sort of more permanent access for kayakers to favourite places such as Gatsien.

I suggest the way forward to be:

1. Submit your suggestions for committee members via the Tangent.

2. If there are a couple of clear “winners” we confirm if these people are prepared to do the job.

3. We draft some sort of brief constitution or mandate, confirming what these people are expected to do for us.

4. We wish them luck and buy them a beer the next time you see them.

Happy paddling

Clive Brown
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Here are the pictures he was talking about.

www.whitewatertraining.co.za/default.aspx?layout=show&id=93

Any comments/thoughts?

Another update on the situation written by Clive Brown:
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Guys

I hit a brick wall with Mr Swanepoel today over the phone. 1. He feels hard done by that he paid a lot of money for his property
and that he now has to share it with other people.
2. He claims to have been verbally abused by kayakers and rafters when
asking them to leave his property.
3. He says he will take responsibility if and when the razor wire washes
into the river if someone gets injured (basically he does not believe it
will happen or does not care).
4. I informed him that we would get legal advice in an attempt to force
him to remove the wire.

I am at a bit of a loss as to what to do next. I am waiting for legal
feedback from Werner and from DWAF (Mr Ntili). Perhaps we will get
something positive.

In the meantime I would suggest that we continue as normal but do not
confront the landowner if he chases you off the rocks on river left,
just pretend ignorance, apologise and move off. The last thing we want
is someone getting shot.

I'll keep you posted as any further developments.

Clive
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So this situation finally made the newspapers. Hopefully that idiot will be put under some more pressure now!

www.sundayindependent.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=3615758