The Muizenberg – St James Coastal Walkway recently had new steel railings installed by Cape Town’s Coastal Management Branch .
The coastal walkway between Muizenberg and St James is one of the most popular and scenic walkways in Cape Town. No matter the season, locals and tourists stroll along this path, which adds to the coastal towns’ sense of place.
Due to a combination of wave action, rust and vandalism over the last few years, the safety railings along the length of the walkway were lost. This is a very narrow and elevated walkway, portions of which experience wave overtopping during swell events and at high tides.
‘Given the location of the walkway, and it being this narrow and elevated, railings are a requirement in the interest of public safety. Thus, the City needs to ensure that railings are in place. We are well aware that stainless steel railings may be targeted, but this is the only durable material so close to the sea. I, therefore, want to appeal to local residents, and the general public, to please help us by reporting vandalism and theft, or any suspicious activities. The railings are to the benefit of all of us,’ said the City’s Deputy Mayor and Mayoral Committee Member for Spatial Planning and Environment, Alderman Eddie Andrews.
The City opted to install stainless steel railings for a number of reasons:
• This is a high saline environment that is exposed to constant wave action and the only material that is long lasting in this location is stainless steel
• The previous railings had plain steel footings. These footings rust and in the process of rusting has caused significant damage to the walkway concrete slab that will now need to be repaired. Stainless steel will have significantly less corrosion over time
• The choice of railings has enhanced the look, feel and sense of place of what is one of the most beautiful coastal walkways in Cape Town
Unfortunately, there is a risk of theft of these railings for re-sale as scrap metal. “Before installing the railings the City undertook a trial section that remained in place for over 18 months that gave us the confidence that we could proceed with installing stainless steel railings along the remainder of the walkway.”
‘We have also increased security patrols at night along the walkway as part of the general coastal security patrols. We will be investigating the use of CCTV cameras to monitor not just the railings, but to primarily increase public safety along the walkway. Then, we will also assess whether low level solar night lighting on the walkway may increase public security.
‘This is a wonderful walkway that belongs to all of us and we believe that the railings provide a critical public safety component. I appeal to residents who notice any suspicious activity to immediately report this to the City’s 107 number so that we can keep our public assets safe to the benefit of all of us,’ said Alderman Andrews.
WHAT: Muizenberg – St James Coastal Walkway
WHERE: Muizenberg Railway Station to St James Railway Station
INFO: See the Cape Town Green Map COASTAL Edition.
See also Cape Town Green Map
