Q&A: Jobre Stassen - A nine-year journey to Hermanus’ whale watching pathway

Hermanus resident Jobre Stassen led the charge for the Hermanus Clifftop Path for almost a decade.

Earlier this year her dream was finally realised, and last week her Clifftop Action Group was honoured with a South African Institution of Civil Engineering Award (SAICE). The coastal path runs for 12km along the Hermanus coastline.

It is a world class attraction and whale-watching location. Historically, the route had to detour past the busy Hermanus main road to avoid Poole’s Bay, home to several homeowners who objected to the path running in front of their seafront properties.

However their objections were ultimately overruled, and the project is now complete.   

Tourism stakeholders say the milestone is good news for Hermanus tourism and the many jobs it supports.

This success is largely thanks to citizen action, led by Stassen and her team who spearheaded the legal process to get the necessary authorisations.

Cape Chamber spoke to Stassen about her achievement and some of the conflict encountered along the way.


CCCI: This has been a long time in coming. How do you feel? 

STASSEN: Very relieved that the path is connected at last. Instead of paving the way, it was an unexpected obstacle course! If I knew what lay ahead I would have taken a quick exit. 
 
 
CCCI: Exactly how long did it take from start to finish? 

STASSEN: Johan de Waal, Debbie Wynne and Jan Rabie started with a petition by collecting signatures on the existing cliff path in 2016, followed by an online survey (before it was popular) accumulating over 1000 signatures which was then handed to the (Overstrand) mayor. 
 
 
CCCI: For those who don’t know the whole story, how long is the path, and how much did it cost? 

STASSEN: The connection is relatively short, only 830m of the total cliff path that follows the coastline for 12km. Yet, it is a vital link as it is almost in the middle of the total distance compounded by the detour along a very busy, noisy and air-polluted main road. Local engineers and contractors completed the path within budget; total construction cost was R12m with another R3m for environmental and legal expenses.  It is significantly less than the initial proposal with another team projected in 2019 at R22m. A win-win for this community-funded project. 
 
CCCI: To succeed you faced formidable opposition, including from some powerful individuals. Did you ever doubt you would succeed? 

STASSEN: Initially it energised me, I was curious to understand the reasoning. Later it almost got the better of me -- the hypocrisy and entitlement is disturbing. 
The project is blessed with the involvement of highly competent individuals throughout - environmental, legal, engineer and then during construction phase who all went the extra mile. 
The unwavering public support and that of friends throughout the Western Cape -- expressing their frustration with the detour -- helped to keep focus. 
 
 
CCCI: Do you think some of your detractors now appreciate the public benefit of this path?
 
STASSEN: The path is there for all to enjoy, it is best to leave the past behind. 
 
Some owners have expressed that the path might even have increased the value of their properties as friends can visit using the path instead of driving - the novelty of a holiday town. Bayview owners advertise the cliff path as an attraction for the Air B&B guests.

CCCI: Can you briefly say what it means for Hermanus? Do you have any estimates as to what it means for foot traffic? 
 
STASSEN: Thousands of locals and tourists flock to the path, it is still a novelty and people want to experience it. The elderly patiently walk down a steep staircase to experience an area that was forbidden for them. 
 
 
CCCI: It surely has to be one of the most remarkable clifftop paths in the world? The perfect place for whale watching? 
 
STASSEN: The whales are active right now, calves showing their strength splashing and (whale) mums releasing air with such force that hearing becomes feeling it in your body.  The cliff path facilitates land-based whale watching - Hermanus the capital of whale watching in South Africa. 
 
 
CCCI: Now that the dust has settled (and the concrete), what for you is the big take home message? 

STASSEN: The obvious should not be that difficult, a 40-year small-town feud came to an end. Active citizens' energy can be used to help to enhance and create a business-minded approach. 
 
Hermanus has all the characteristics of a blue zone - an active older population involved and passionate about the community. It is a town small enough to quickly make a significant difference. Hermanus is the ideal eco-tourism and active tourism destination, yet everything is fragmented exasperated by a lack of affordable holiday accommodation. 
 
 
CCCI: A victory for democracy, or a warning to not let entrenched elites dictate terms? 
 
STASSEN: The NIMBY route is a worldwide phenomenon, in an overpopulated world people are less tolerant to share the coast or rivers -- more comfortable behind confined walls. 
 
Coastal access is a right not a fight, but it is worth fighting for. 
 
Only 30% of our extensive coastline is public. I am concerned that inalienable coastal public property is not guarded by officials entrusted to do so.