Getting to the bottom of harbour’s pollution woes

SOMETHING needs to be done to address the state of the harbour. So say MP Hannah Winkler and Durban councillor Sharmaine Sewshanker, who conducted an oversight visit on Friday at Wilson’s Wharf to see firsthand the refuse and sewage issues plaguing the harbour.

Speaking about the issues, Sewshanker said the Durban Harbour is one of the city’s key tourist attractions and every effort needs to be made to ensure that that image isn’t lost.

“The pollution and sewage filtering into the harbour over the past few years has turned it into a stinking sea of floating filth. The unbearable stench and putrid condition of the harbour has kept many a tourist and locals away from enjoying the attractions of the harbour. I have engaged with various stakeholders over the years including DSW, eThekwini Wastewater Management and the Coastal Stormwater Department but eThekwini Municipality insists that the harbour is out of its jurisdiction and that the responsibility of maintaining the harbour is that of the port authorities. However, the port authorities are holding the city responsible for not keeping the city clean and not maintaining their storm water outlets that flow into the harbour,” she said.

Sewshaker said they found the grids that are supposed to prevent the city’s rubbish from getting into the harbour are severely damaged with age and no longer form a filter for the rubbish. “It has been brought to the attention of the City but nothing has been done therefore all the garbage that flows into the stormwater pipes after heavy rains ends up in the harbour,” she said.

ALSO READ: Municipality addressing sewage leaks in Durban harbour

Sewshanker said illegal sewer connections from the derelict buildings in and around Victoria Embankment are also a major concern. She said the raw sewerage is very visible during low tide, freely flowing into the harbour, killing off the marine life while posing a huge health risk to those that work and frequent the area. Reports on the Save Durban Harbour Facebook page last week noted a number of fish deaths in the harbour and surrounding areas.

“Nobody wants to take responsibility. I’m often at the receiving end of and get inundated with complaints,” she said.

Sewshanker engaged with Winkler, who is an MP on the tourism portfolio, to do the oversight on Friday.

Commenting on what they found, Winkler said: “Wilson’s Wharf is an important part of eThekwini’s tourism offering and a significant employer. Business owners we met with explained how their club membership had been significantly affected, how parents no longer wanted to send their children for sailing lessons in a giant “toilet” and how tourism had declined because of the stench and disrepair. The impact on the harbour marine life must be devastating.”

The women will be holding a stakeholders meeting in a few weeks’ time with Port Authorities, businesses and eThekwini Municipality officials to find solutions to this problem.

“An urgent plan to save the harbour must be adopted,” said Winkler.

Meanwhile, the sewage leak in Cato Road, Glenwood, continues to pour from the manhole onto the road. Residents state this leak, which has been ongoing since December, is not only a health hazard but is causing damage to vehicles travelling on the road. According to a local WhatsApp group, a motorist drove over the manhole this past week, damaging his vehicle rim and bursting his tyre.

There had been no response to a request for comment from eThekwini Municipality at the time of going to print.

Do you want to receive news alerts via Telegram? Send us a message (not an sms) with your name and surname to 060 532 5535.

You can also join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

PLEASE NOTE: If you have signed up for our news alerts you need to save the Berea Mail Telegram number as a contact to your phone, otherwise you will not receive our alerts

Here’s where you can download Telegram on Android or Apple