Ongoing petty theft and vandalism at the Willows Caravan Park in Port Alfred is putting off would-be campers and caravanners. Long-term residents say that restoring broken-down fencing would go a long way towards restoring the much loved facility, situated on prime riverside land, to its status as a favourite family destination. Meanwhile its owner, Ndlambe Municipality, says plans are under way to first repair broken fencing and, longer term, to outsource management of the facility.
For decades, Willows Caravan Park has been the go-to holiday base for families on a budget. Nestled between the famous arched Nico Malan bridge, the ever popular Kiddies Beach and the Kowie River, it’s close to a cluster of community facilities including the Round Table headquarters, the Port Alfred River and Ski Boat Club, the MOTHS war veterans’ Battleaxe Shellhole and the base of the National Sea Rescue Institute’s Port Alfred Station 11.
Across the river is a prime view of Port Alfred’s famous Marina. West Beach and the CBD are within walking distance and canoes and bicycles are among the range of outdoor equipment to be hired from Outdoor Focus, just across the bridge next to Kiddies Beach, for the adventurous.
Tracks4Africa lists available activities in the area as hiking, snorkelling, horseriding, fishing, swimming, boating and birdwatching.
There are 44 grassed caravan and camping sites with water and power points, and about half a dozen structures – parkhomes, wooden cabins and caravans – whose permanent or part time occupants pay rent for the land they stand on.
Willows should be buzzing, in and out of season, with backpackers, families and other middle-budget travelers and holidaymakers, bringing in a steady stream of revenue for its owners, Ndlambe Municipality.
But the word-of-mouth megaphone means that apart from the long-term residents, it’s mostly deserted.
“For years it’s been under siege,” said a source familiar with the venue. “People who live there are regularly broken into and have stuff stolen. Camping there is impossible – you’re guaranteed to lose things.”
In one of the more recent incidents, a person who pitched a tent for an overnight stay two weekends ago returned there around 10pm after celebrating with friends to discover someone had cut a hole in the fabric and taken whatever they could find.
“It was just snacks – chips and bread,” said the camper from East London who preferred not to be named. “I left there and then.
“It’s not as if it was frightening and it didn’t feel dangerous – it was more of a hassle and inconvenience.”
Nuisance and expense is the biggest problem, with extension cables leading to the plug-in points regularly stolen, and ablution facilities damaged by metal thieves.
But there has also been at least one violent attack. About a year ago, an officer from a local security company attending to a complaint there was seriously injured when an intruder stabbed him.
If the area was secured with proper fencing it would go a long way towards making it safer, said one frustrated parkhome owner.
“We can’t allow things to continue like this,” the person said. “The municipality needs to deal with this properly.”
Access control
In response to questions from Talk of the Town, Ndlambe Municipal Communication Officer TK Mtiki said the municipality acknowledged the concerns about the situation at the caravan park.
“These have been formally reported by the park manager,” Mtiki said. “. We are actively following the necessary procedures to resolve the issue in a timely manner. In response to security concerns, we have already implemented enhanced access control measures at the gate to ensure the safety of all patrons and residents. We remain committed to maintaining a secure and well-managed facility.
“The caravan park fence is scheduled for repairs as part of the annual maintenance plan. Once the fence is repaired, [we will be able to] secure the bridge entrance. With current crime levels, the park is not immune from intruders.
“The plan is to do all the required maintenance and then lease the facility to a private operator,” Mtiki said. “The plan is to outsource the management and upkeep of the Caravan Park and the procurement process has started.”
In response to questions about levels of use, Mtiki said the average number of visitors had dropped to 80 per annum since COVID.
“It should be noted that the park has a mixture of permanent and holiday makers. It is sought after by event organisers seeking to accommodate bikers, rowers and others.”
The venue brings in an average annual income of around R350,000.
- This article was first published in Talk of the Town, October 17, 2024. The newspaper serving the communities of Ndlambe and the Sunshine Coast, with a weekly wrap of Makhanda news, is available at stores from early on Thursdays.
