Pollution detected: Four Durban beaches closed by eThekwini Municipality after court ruling on sewage spillages
File Picture: Blue Lagoon beach is among four beaches in Durban that have been temporarily closed after pollution was detected.
Image: Tumi Pakkies / Independent Newspapers
The eThekwini Municipality has announced the temporary closure of four Durban beaches after pollution was detected.
In a statement on Thursday, the City said as a precautionary measure it had decided to close the four beaches following the detection of pollution. It did not indicate what type of pollution had been found.
The affected beaches are:
• Blue Lagoon
• EThekwini Beach
• Country Club Beach
• Battery Beach
“The City has established a dedicated team comprising senior municipal management to investigate the source of the pollution and implement appropriate mitigation measures. Pending further testing and investigation, the four beaches will remain closed to safeguard public health and safety,” the municipality said.
It added that 19 other bathing beaches remain open, all monitored by lifeguards and supported by a 2 000-strong Metro Police contingent, working in collaboration with the South African Police Service.
The announcement comes after a landmark ruling of the Pietermaritzburg High Court which ordered the municipality to take certain steps to address sewage pollution that had led to the closure of the city's beaches and had polluted other water sources.
The court ordered that within one month of the order, the municipality must:
- Publish on a weekly basis the results of E. coli readings of all public beaches on the municipality's website, social media platforms, and at public beaches.
- Urgently implement an action plan to conduct repairs and maintenance to sewer infrastructure and report to the court on the progress made.
- Communicate as widely as possible to the public living and working alongside beaches and rivers about water-related hazards and pollution affecting the relevant areas