DURBAN – The eThekwini Municipality said on Thursday that Durban North beaches would remain closed until the national Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) and the KZN Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (EDTEA) have concluded a peer review assessment on a report into the environmental and toxicological risks, and quality of the seawater for human safety.
The beaches were closed after a chemical spill from United Phosphorus Ltd’s (UPL) leased warehouse in Cornubia. The spill occurred after the warehouse was set alight during the July unrest.
The municipality was responding to a statement by UPL sent on Wednesday in which the company expressed its concern over the continued delay in reopening the beaches.
UPL said that on October 11, its team of independent specialists met with the external reviewer who has been appointed to conduct a peer review of the report and answered questions on the report and provided information on the clean-up operation the company had embarked on.
The report presented the results of a chemical analysis of the beaches and seawater at the beginning of September and concluded that all the beaches and ocean outside a 1km exclusion zone, north, south and east of the estuary mouth pose an extremely low chemical risk to the public regardless of whether the mouth is open or closed.
EThekwini Municipality spokesperson Msawakhe Mayisela said that the beaches remained closed to safeguards users against any harmful effects of chemicals that were spilled.
Mayisela said the beaches would remain closed until the DFFE and EDTEA considered the peer review findings on the environmental and toxicological risks, and related quality of the seawater for human safety.
Mayisela said the peer review findings were expected this week.
“The authorities will consider the findings from the independent peer reviewer after which a decision will be made on whether the seawater is safe for use and thereafter the two municipalities (eThekwini and KwaDukuza) will make the decision to review the beach closures.The public are asked to be patient and comply with requests from the authorities.
“The city understands the impact that the beach closure has had on the public and tourism in the area. It is not something that the city has taken lightly; however, it must be noted that the public’s health is of critical importance and this is our priority,” he said.
THE MERCURY