Durban beaches: Municipality decides to shut them down again

The eThekwini Municipality has decided to close down some Durban beaches again, just after they were recently reopened to the public.

The eThekwini Municipality has made a U-turn on the decision to open some of its beaches due to poor water quality. 

This reportedly follows the latest round of testing which prompted the metro municipality to close some beaches with immediate effect as the water quality does not meet acceptable standards.

ALSO READ: Durban beaches: Here’s why they’re shut down for now…

ETHEKWINI MUNICIPALITY CLOSES SOME  BEACHES

Beaches under the metro municipality were closed with immediate effect on Monday, 22 August, due to high levels of E-coli in the water. Water activities such as swimming, surfing, fishing, bathing, canoeing, and other activities were also not allowed.

The following beaches are closed: 

• Brighton
• Ansteys
• Point
• Ushaka
• Addington
• South
• Wedge
• North
• Bay of Plenty
• Battery
• Country Club Thekwini
• Laguna
• Baggies
• Reunion beaches

All water activities at these beaches are banned. 

Umhlanga main; Umdloti; Westbrooke and Bronze beaches in the northern region remain closed.

Beaches that remain open include:

• Toti
• Pipeline
• Warner
• Winklespruit
• Umgababa beaches

The eThekwini Municipality said it will continue to test water quality at beaches on a regular basis and react in line with those results.

The Municipality has closed and opened beaches especially in Durban quite a few times this year alone. It is not yet clear what the actual root cause of the “poor water quality” is that leads to high levels of E.coli.

Apart from that since the April floods this year, the eThekwini Municipality has also been facing backlash from communities in and around Durban for supplying drinking water that is of poor quality.

By: Nokwanda Ncwane