Durban – The Zinkwazi and Blythedale beaches are closed for swimming today, December 28.
“The KwaDukuza Municipality in consultation with the KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board Maritime Centre of Excellence (Sharks Board) decided to close off the Zinkwazi and Blythedale beaches for bathing/swimming for the day owing to the dirty water (high debris content) flowing into these beaches from the Mvoti and Thukela Rivers which could compromise the installed shark safety gear at these locations,” it said.
The municipality said the Sharks Board could not service the shark safety gear on Wednesday as the lagoon at Zinkwazi Beach was running strongly in the morning, hindering the team’s attempt to launch the service boat. The team planned to launch the boat at Salt Rock Beach on Thursday so that it could service the gear at Zinkwazi and Blythedale beaches.
The municipality apologised for the inconvenience.
Last week, the municipality opened Thompson Bay Beach after it received positive laboratory results on the water quality at the beach.
The beach was closed after a sewer line along Simbithi overflowed at Ballito Drive all the way down to Thompson Bay Beach. The municipality worked with Siza Water to conduct quality tests to ensure that the beach was safe for use.
The municipality also removed its Blue Flag on this beach until Siza Water had completed the necessary repairs and the municipality’s environmental team had given the beach the green light.
Daily News