KNYSNA NEWS - Growing frustration over an informal encampment near Thesen Island and the waste transfer station has reached breaking point, with at least one long-established business forced to relocate amid ongoing complaints about fires, crime, rats and worsening health conditions.
Business owners and residents say the situation has spiralled out of control and are demanding urgent intervention from the Knysna Municipality, Transnet and Sanral - none of which had responded to media enquiries by Knysna-Plett Herald at the time of going to print.
According to Langton Mkhwebu, general manager of Freshline Fisheries, the business recently moved from its premises near Tait Marine to Trotter Street after years of struggling with conditions around the encampment.
"The squatters defecate and urinate openly near businesses, causing an unbearable stench which negatively affects our clientele and tourism," he said. "In the last two years we have lost 70% of our clients who no longer deem it safe to visit our eatery."
Mkhwebu described severe rat infestations in the area, claiming some rodents are "the size of cats".
"That's not something any customer wants to see while eating," he said.
Residents and business owners also raised concerns about the nearby waste transfer station, which they claim has become a breeding ground for rats because waste is allegedly not removed regularly enough. Complaints include foul odours, waste build-up and poor sanitation.
Another restaurant owner, who asked not to be named, described some occupants as aggressive and said tourists are increasingly reluctant to visit the area.
The encampment has also been linked to repeated fire risks. In late 2025, a fire in the area reportedly spread to the fences of Freshline Fisheries and Tait Marine, causing damages estimated at about R300 000.
With no fencing on the Transnet-owned property and public frustration mounting, many residents believe the issue can no longer be ignored.
"Surely something can be done," one resident wrote on social media. "Knysna depends on tourism - this is the elephant in the room."
‘We bring you the latest Garden Route, Hessequa, Karoo news’
