An emotional morning for the Smit Amandla crew as they sail into Simon's Town to hand over the department of fisheries vessels to the navy...
Man 1 (Smit Amandla crew member): 'It is heart sore... These ships have their own personality, some of the research vessels are very old and you have put your blood and sweat into them.'
Bongani Bingwa (Carte Blanche presenter): 'So have you lost your job?'
Man 1: 'Yes, I have.'
Bongani: 'What does that mean?'
Man 1: 'It just means I have to go look for employment internationally.'
135 Crew members lost their jobs when a bungled tender process put fisheries minister Tina Joemat Pettersson on the spot. Six fisheries vessels were abruptly handed over to the navy in an emergency, leaving our waters unpatrolled against local and international poachers.
Also under threat are the research cruises that measure our fishing stocks - the very basis on which multi-million rand fishing quotas are granted. Admiral Bravo Mhlana had to step into the breach.
