DURBAN - The eThekwini Municipality has reopened Ansteys Beach for public use.
The beach was closed after raw sewage contaminated the seawater because of vandalised sewer pumps. The municipality has repaired the pumps and announced the reopening of the beach at the Bluff on Monday.
“The city appeals to the public to report any criminal activity or vandalism on City infrastructure,” the municipality said.
The beach was temporarily closed from Friday after three sewer pumps in the south of Durban were vandalised the night before. As a result, raw sewage flowed into the sea.
The municipality then decided to immediately close Ansteys Beach in the interest of public safety.
Meanwhile, the reopening of Ansteys Beach led a Facebook user to question when uMhlanga beaches would be reopened. The user said it had one week to sort out Ansteys Beach’s sewage issues, “what about uMhlanga Beach? Why was it taking more than four months when United Phosphorus Limited (UPL) said the water was safe?”
Last week the municipality announced that beaches north of Durban’s Blue Lagoon would remain closed despite the UPL issuing a statement that their appointed specialists had said the beaches were safe to be reopened.
Municipal spokesperson Msawakhe Mayisela, said the beaches would remain closed until the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment and the KZN Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs, give the green light. This will depend on the environmental and toxicological risks, and related quality of the seawater for human safety.
The eThekwini and KwaDukuza municipalities will then make a decision to review the beach closures.
Mayisela said the city understood the impact beach closures had on the public and tourism in the area.
“It was not something the city was taking lightly, however, it must be noted that the public’s health is of critical importance, which was the city’s priority.”
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