Tourist hotspots such as uMhlanga and the beaches on the north coast have been drowning in piles of rubbish since refuse has not been collected for the past two weeks.
It is believed that the disruptions to refuse collection was due to Durban Solid Waste (DSW) workers being on strike.
Municipal spokesperson Msawakhe Mayisela urged all residents and businesses to keep all refuse within their property boundaries to avoid litter spreading all over.
The affected areas include uMhlanga, Umdloti, Mount Edgecombe, La Lucia, Glen Anil, Cornubia, Verulam, Waterloo, Canelands, Mountview, Trenance Park, Parkgate, Temple Valley, Dawncrest, Brandhaven, Reyadh, Missionland, Riverview, Hamond Farm, Grange, R102, Mount Moreland, Oakland, Redcliff, Everest Height, Riet River and South Ridge.
Mayisela said residents would be informed when normal refuse collection resumed.
DA councillor Heinz de Boer said he had fielded numerous complaints from residents and business owners on the North Coast.
He said refuse collection had been sporadic over the past two weeks, with rubbish continuing to pile up.
“I believe the Tongaat CBD, uMhlanga and Verulam are the worst affected areas. Restaurant owners have called and complained, and I think some of them have resorted to hiring private refuse removal companies,” he said.
De Boer said the interruption in refuse removal services has affected tourism in the area.
“This is not only affecting tourism but Durban has a rodent problem, and this only exacerbates the public health hazard.
“I hope that DSW puts an emergency plan in place soon,” De Boer said.
To add to the woes, uThongathi residents are also currently experiencing “water-shedding”.
One of the residents, Teddy Govender said almost all areas in uThongathi are left without water every night until the early morning.
He described the situation as “water-shedding”, saying for a month now the supply of water “shuts off like clockwork”.
“There needs to be political will. The politicians must come out and tell us that we have a water issue. It seems as if they are keeping quiet until the 2019 election to tell us that water-shedding is a thing of the near future,” he said.
He said that the situation worsened recently, after some reservoirs were decommissioned.
Mayisela said the city was aware of the water issues affecting the uThongathi area.
“The water supply demand is very high in these areas and once there are interruptions such as burst pipes and power failures, the demands become unbearable,” he said.