- Plettenberg Bay is thwarting petty crime on beaches by installing a high tech beach-locker system on its main beach.
- The keyless locker system also has a USB recharging facility.
- The newly installed lockers is a 100% proudly South African design.
A brand-new keyless beach locker system, aimed at thwarting petty crimes on beaches in Plettenberg Bay, went live this weekend on two Blue Flag Beaches in the Southern Cape ahead of the festive/summer season.
Gone are the days of stressing over leaving valuables on the beach...or for that matter having your cellphone die on you.
Pioneered by local resident Malcolm Katz, Liberty Lockers, a Plettenberg Bay-based company, this week launched a secure outdoor/beach locker system to make life a little easier for beach-goers.
The keyless locker system also has a USB recharging facility.
Katz says petty crime on beaches is a universal problem which is not exclusive to South Africa and after extensive research he believes their design could be a world-first.
Plettenberg Bay is no stranger to leading the way. It has just been awarded six Blue Flag Beaches and has also been nominated 12 times as Africa’s Leading Beach Destination which it won in 2020/2021.
“With our Blue Flag beaches and ongoing recognition as a leading beach destination, we understand the need to be on top of our game when it comes to what our tourists need. The Bitou Municipality and our residents are always investigating new and exciting ideas to maintain our status as a world-class destination – and provide a safe environment,” CEO of Plett Tourism, Patty Butterworth said.
The newly installed lockers, which are a 100% proudly South African design, offer the perfect solution to kicking-back on the beach for the whole day with no worries.
Proudly perched on Plettenberg Bay Main Beach, the locker system is unobtrusive, doesn’t encroach on the view and is environmentally friendly. It is also powered with solar energy and most importantly still operates during load shedding.
Beachgoers can either book a locker when they get to the beach or even book it in advance for the day or for the entire week.
First-time users can log onto the company website using their phones and book a locker by selecting a location and date.
A list of available lockers then appears, and users can book any locker from the list. Once payment has been made, an SMS and email is sent to the user, confirming location, date range and PIN number.
The company has also employed two locals to be on the beach to assist beachgoers who need help.
Bitou Municipality has been the first municipality to use the system, but the company hopes to expand their operation to districts in the Amanzimtoti area, KwaZulu-Natal, and possibly the Cape.
The cost of the locker for beachgoers is R5 until peak-holiday season when the price will go up to R35 for the day.