Beaches closed after medical waste washes up

THE uMngeni/Mangrove, Beachwood, Virginia and Glenashley beaches are temporarily closed to Durban beachgoers from this morning, Wednesday, 18 May, due to clean-up operations currently taking place at the four beach sites.

eThekwini Municipality Head of Communications, Tozi Mthethwa said the closure follows a discovery of several loads of medical waste that have washed up on the shore, which could pose a health hazard to bathers using the facilities.

“The eThekwini Municipality’s Health Unit is investigating the source of the medical waste. Municipal officials are working around the clock to ensure that all the waste is removed from the beach. It is estimated that the clean-up operations will take up to two weeks to complete. In the interest of safety, all residents are advised to use alternative beaches until it is safe to use the affected beaches,” she explained.

Mthethwa said while the municipality appreciates that regular users of the beaches may be inconvenienced, these measures are important to ensure a hazard free environment for all patrons.