Hout Bay harbour’s hellish working conditions

Gun battles, rampant theft and now a clampdown on overtime pay for staff at one of Cape Town’s top tourist destinations … going to work is not much fun these days at Hout Bay harbour.

A directive from the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries late last month put a temporary stop to all overtime work, including refuse removal and managing the slipway.

The popular weekend destination is home to the Hout Bay Yacht Club and marina, and is the embarkation point for ferry trips to Seal Island.

Boat operators say the latest financial squeeze could aggravate an already volatile situation.

Hout Bay’s harbour master warned ferry operators about the situation last week and even instructed them to stop paying for a private contractor to clean the public toilets over weekends.

The clampdown on overtime relates to moves within the National Treasury to cut government expenditure.

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