Page 58 - KBHA Bulletin 16

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specifically asked in writing if he was going to open a fish-curing plant he pointed out

that he had applied to open a general business and if they didn’t grant him his permit
in terms of the Building Regulations he would sue them. The site was visited by a

delegation of Councillors who took the 2.43 p.m. train from Cape Town. Their
conclusion was that in Windsor Road “ …….. the buildings are all of a poor class and

inhabited principally by fishermen. The School is about 100 yards away.” Despite an
adverse report of their own Medical Officer of Health they narrowly voted to give

Schechter a 12-month permit. The decision seemed inexplicable to everyone and the

press had a field day – publishing the Council’s embarrassing correspondence with
Schechter. Reading between the lines it is clear the Council was under pressure from

the Union Government to create jobs. Petitions in favour of the fish-curing plant were

received from the Secretary for Mines and Industries as well as 277 residents,
fishermen and ratepayers.

The fishermen wanted the fish-curing plant, even though there was already one in the

harbour that apparently struggled at times to take in enough fish for processing. It was
said that only 5% of the catch was sold locally – the rest going to ‘up-the-line traders.’

The fishermen were naturally suspicious of anything they thought would adversely

affect their livelihood. They had virtually no representation in the corridors of power
and had tended to come off second-best when dealing with the authorities. The

Schechter affair was an opportunity to make their collective voices heard. They also
clearly saw a different type of person moving in to Kalk Bay: people who had money,

who was pushing up property prices and turning Kalk Bay into a holiday resort and

commuter suburb. This was very different to the fishing community they knew and
were so proud of. The attitude of the moneyed interests is clear when we see that the

fishermen were denied the use of both the Picture Palace and the harbour pier for a
meeting they wanted to hold. The meeting went ahead on the Outspan under the

Chairmanship of Mr Menigo. Over 200 were there, including local councillors and

representatives of Cape Town. Of course the meeting voted overwhelmingly in favour
of a permanent licence being granted to Schechter. A Mr Orgill drew laughter and

applause when he stood up and said: “I recall the days when snoek were a halfpenny
each and gheelbeck (sic) twopence. In those days before the harbour was built, I have

walked up to the knees in decomposing snoek heads and there was nothing injurious
about it. Why do people come here if they know it is a stinking place?”