Strandfontein Ratepayers Angered By ‘Preferential Treatment’ Of Film Crews

A Strandfontein community on Thursday raised concerns about a movie being filmed on a section of a beach in the area.

The Strandfontein Ratepayers and Residents Association is angered over bylaws, which seem to apply to residents but not to the film industry.

The association said the community was not informed about the film shoot at the Blue Flag beach.

Chairperson Mario Oostendurp said fisherman were barred from entering fishing spots along the coast. He said while fishermen could not use the dunes as it was classified as “sensitive” and fines would be issued, this did not apply to the movie industry.

“You’ve fined us and we drive over the dunes to get to our parking spots and all we want to do is fish. But you allow the film industry to move in heavy-duty equipment.”

Years ago, the movie _Free Willy 4 _was filmed at the beach. Oostendurp said when the crew left, the area was in a state.

He added that Fisherman’s Lane, also known as Broken Road, was already in a state of disrepair.

The city’s Richard Bosman said geo tracks are used for access to the parking area for set-building and vehicle access.

He added residents in the immediate vicinity, who would have been impacted directly by the filming, would have been consulted. Bosman said no residents or businesses were directly impacted in this instance.

EWN