Durban pier claims another angler

The gate at the Virginia pier is locked, but fishermen can still get on to it from the sides. Another fisherman drowned yesterday morning after falling into the sea. Picture: Gcina Ndwalane

The gate at the Virginia pier is locked, but fishermen can still get on to it from the sides. Another fisherman drowned yesterday morning after falling into the sea. Picture: Gcina Ndwalane

Published Oct 28, 2016

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Durban - The need to put food on the table is driving Durban fishermen to risk their lives by fishing off the deadly Virginia Beach pier.

The pier claimed yet another life on Thursday, bringing the tally to at least four people in two weeks.

Neran Dulundas, 41, was swept away early on Thursday. His body was recovered 500m south of the pier at about 2pm on Thursday by Durban search and rescue police divers, who had been searching for hours.

The eThekwini Municipality has installed a locked gate at the pier entrance and put up warning tape at the edge of the structure.

But judging from the latest death, the measures have not had much effect and people can still get on to the pier from the sides.

There are no warning signs or official indications that the pier is closed.

Dulundas’s cousin, Alister Ramsarup, said Dulundas had left with friends to go fishing at about 10pm on Wednesday night. They received the call that he had drowned at about 1am.

“He went on to the pier and he slipped and fell. We do not know whether he had been drinking at the time,” said Ramsarup.

He said the family was shocked by the news.

“He was a regular fisherman, fishing was his life, and we did not expect this to happen.”

He said Dulundas left a wife and four children of school-going age.

Ramsarup declined to speak on the condition of the pier, only noting that this was the second reported incident in as many weeks.

“Maybe they should close off the pier with barbed wire all around because right now fishermen can still get through.”

The Mercury visited the pier and found fisherman fishing next to it. They said this was not a safe alternative either, as there was always the risk of being washed out to sea.

“I do not fish for the sport, this is my livelihood,” said one of the fishermen, who declined to be named. “I have a wife and a child that I need to look after.”

Luqman Ismail, who said he was there when his friends Waseem Adham, 21, and Imraan Mohamed, 31, fell into the sea on Sunday, blamed the authorities.

Adham reportedly tripped on a steel peg and fell in, and Mohamed rushed in to try to save him.

“Mohamed tried to lift Adham above water, but Adham was struggling. He (Mohamed) then went under and his body disappeared.

“Mohammed’s body washed up a kilometre south of the pier,” he said.

“As soon as they declared his time of death, which was 3pm, Adham’s body washed up next to the pier,” said Ismail.

He said most of the fishermen fished out of necessity, to feed their families.

He blamed the municipality for their deaths. “There have been many deaths here, all because this pier is poorly maintained.

“The railings were damaged by a storm more than two months ago and have not been fixed. If they had been fixed, Adham would have had something to hold on to when he tripped,” said Ismail.

Another fisherman called on the authorities to do the responsible thing by closing the pier.

“It is very dangerous, there are no railings, so if you fall in you are gone. I fish for sport, but some of the other fishermen fish for a living. If they do not catch a fish there is no food at home,” he said.

The municipality’s communications head, Tozi Mthethwa, said the city was concerned about the drownings. “We have installed a lockable gate that will prohibit people from accessing the pier. We are also finalising the necessary supply chain management processes for the installation of new railings.

“We urge residents to stop removing the barricade tape and we prohibit people from fishing at night until the new rails have been installed,” she said.

Essop Mohammed, of the KZN Subsistence Fishermen’s Forum, said fishermen should take care of themselves. “There are two things we advocate... that is take care of yourself, and do not leave the place dirty.

“I have not been on the pier myself, but I noticed that it does not have railings at the front. People should not go there when it is not safe,” he said.

The Mercury

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