The PBRA acknowledges the authority and custodianship of Cape Nature in its management of the Brodie Link Reserve as a protected area on behalf of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), who owns this land area.

The PBRA acknowledges the strategic reasons for Cape Nature’s program of erecting fences along several protected areas in the Western Cape, in view of various threats impacting the custodianship role by Cape Nature and therefore respect the managerial steps taken by Cape Nature to deal with such threats.

The PBRA has taken note of concerns among ratepayers and residents about the newly erected fence and has engaged with Cape Nature in late 2024 already on this matter. The outcome of such engagement resulted in an agreement with Cape Nature not to have the bottom three strands of wire attached to the fence along Brodie Link. The PBRA has assisted Cape Nature on 27 February 2025, by removing the bottom three strands of wire from the section of fence that had already been erected at that stage.

When it was discovered on 4 March 2025 that the bottom strands of wire had been replaced again by the contractor, the PBRA immediately informed Cape Nature. Cape Nature corrected the matter via its contractor and the newly attached bottom strands of wire had since then been removed again (except for a small portion, which the PBRA again has reported to Cape Nature).

When the new section of fence, stretching from the upper end of Stream Rd in a Northerly direction towards the water reservoir was erected, the PBRA again on 24 March 2025, communicated to Cape Nature the following concerns:

• That despite the agreement not to fit the bottom three strands of wire, the contractor on the ground was not complying with the agreement.
• The matter of no entry signs having been attached to the fence at the pedestrian entrance into the Brodie Link Reserve, contradicting Cape Nature’s own existing signs at the entrance.
• The fact that the latest section of fence was erected in such a way that it was cutting-off the existing footpath along the boundary with Brodie Link at two places.
• It was brought to the attention of Cape Nature that its contractor had not properly removed the remnant pieces of the old fence, some of which had become entangled and overgrown by the vegetation and therefore had become a safety hazard for wildlife itself.

The PBRA’s correspondence of the above was acknowledged by Cape Nature and rectification and feedback are awaited.

Although it is not the prerogative of the PBRA to communicate on behalf of Cape Nature, the Pringle Bay community is requested to understand and respect the intention of Cape Nature in demarcating the various protected areas. The demarcation with fences is done in view of threats such as unlawful human settlement, unlawful agricultural activities, enabling law enforcement in respect of poaching and the removal of indigenous plant material, as well as to comply with fire management prescripts and the risk of litigation in case of wildfires.

Community members and visitors to Pringle Bay are requested to only make use of the official access points to the Brodie Link Reserve, to stay on existing footpaths and not to create new footpaths.

The PBRA values its relationship with Cape Nature in collaborative conservation of our natural heritage and will continue to engage with Cape Nature on matters of community interest and concerns.