Durban – The ANC Youth League in KwaDukuza has taken aim at the Blythedale Beach Residents and Ratepayers’ Association (BBRRA), accusing the group of targeting young black people after it last month complained about the “absolute mayhem” large crowds of visitors had brought with them over the Reconciliation Day long weekend.
A spokesman for the ratepayers’ association said on Tuesday it strongly rejected the youth league’s allegations and said it reserved its rights going forward.
The KwaDukuza branch of the league issued a media statement on Tuesday, in which it accused the association of claiming a monopoly on Blythedale Beach.
It said beaches were “public places that must be used by everyone regardless of their socio-economic standing and racial group”.
Last month, The Mercury reported that the BBRRA was fed up with unruly parties and general debauchery in the small, usually quiet village over the festive season.
Thousands of revellers descended on a public car park near the beach on the long-weekend of December 16.
Read: Beach residents up in arms over 'total debauchery'
A man, who was among them, died after he was stabbed and paramedics were unable to reach him because of an unruly crowd of people who threatened them.
Local residents complained of loud partying and “total debauchery”, with drunkenness, sex and the use of illicit drugs.
In aerial photographs taken that weekend, the streets were gridlocked with minibus taxis and a number of partygoers appeared to have passed out at the roadside.
But the youth league said Tuesday that the association’s complaints were not genuine or justifiable.
“Only Blythedale Beach is targeted, primarily because it is used by young black people,” it said.
The league said it was yet to hear complaints about other North Coast events that were mainly attended by white people.
“Ironically, it is public knowledge now that they are equally characterised by similar levels of intoxication, yet the silence is deafening as if it is business as usual,” the youth league said.
ANCYL KwaDukuza regional secretary Musa Zondi said while the youth league did not condone public drinking or litter, these were issues at all beaches, yet Blythedale Beach was being unfairly singled out.
In its statement Tuesday, the league also criticised the KwaDukuza municipality and its “inconsistent” approach to enforcing the by-laws.
It said visitors to nearby beaches at Tinley Manor, Zinkwazi, Thompson’s Bay and Ballito were not subject to the same stop-and-searches that were conducted on visitors to Blythedale Beach.
“Those beaches are often used by rich, white minorities – who consume alcohol like nobody’s business – and yet no one says anything to them,” it said.
The youth league also wanted all the beaches in KwaDukuza renamed.
“We don’t even know who that Thompson was or (what) his contribution in this country (was),” it said.
It wanted Blythedale Beach renamed Bonga Zungu Beach and Thompson’s Bay Beach renamed Cebo Mfekayi Beach.
“These are former youth leaders who led the struggle for young people and also led as councillors,” it said.
A spokesman for the BBRRA said on Tuesday that the regional secretary of the youth league (Zondi) contacted the association’s chairman last week and requested a meeting with a representative of the association.
“The chairman requested MrZondi to provide him with the items the youth league wanted to discuss with the association,” he said.
“We are still awaiting a response.”
Of the situation at Blythedale Beach, the association spokesman said law enforcement had increased its presence after the Reconciliation Day long weekend.
He said the annual beach festival, which took place on December 26 and 27, was fairly well attended and that festivalgoers appeared to have had a good time, but law enforcement agencies had controlled the crowds.
“Unfortunately, the post-January 1 celebrations spilled into the residential area and all night partying did re-occur,” he said.
But peace had been restored, he said, and the community had no pressing issues at present.
The Mercury emailed and sent text messages to the KwaDukuza municipality in a bid to obtain comment on Tuesday.
It received no response.