Mayor urges all to experience Durban

DESPITE inclement weather at the start of the festive season and the passing for Nelson Mandela which resulted in some travellers altering their travel plans, Durban saw a dramatic increase of visitors to its beaches from 16 December where approximately 155 000 flocked to the beaches on the first day of improved weather conditions.

eThekwini mayor James Nxumalo said the good weather played a major part in bringing the crowds to the beaches with about 23 600 people visiting the beaches betwen 20 December to 22 December. On Christmas and Boxing day, more than 400 000 people were recorded on Durban beaches.

“On New Year’s Eve there were 93000 people at our beaches during the day and approximately 39300 on the evening of 31 December, and a whopping 460780 on New Year’s Day which included approximately 35000 people at the New Year’s Picnic at Umgababa beach,” said Nxumalo.

“As Mayor of eThekwini, I would like to thank all our residents and visitors for ensuring a peaceful festive season and I am sure that they have enjoyed their stay with us. Of course, the festive season is not over, I urge all holidaymakers to come and experience Durban,” he said.

Nxumalo said there had been 28 rescues on 31 December and 32 on New Year’s Day with 5 mass rescues (rescuing of more than one person) executed on the day. A person was reported missing north of Pipeline Beach Area, in Amanzimtoti, a non-bathing area, and the body has not yet been recovered. “I would like to highlight that we are committed to ensuring a safe and secure bathing area with adequate lifeguards on duty, hence my appeal to bathers not to swim in non-demarcated bathing areas with no staff on duty,” he said.

With regard to children, Nxumalo said 8 350 armbands were issued as part of the city’s Separated Children Programme over the past two days. I appeal to all beachgoers with minor children to keep their children with them at all times. It is an offence to leave a minor unattended in terms of the Child Protection Act. In cases of contravention of this act, the SAPS will prosecute offenders. “Police will take action against parents of 7 children who were left at our overnight facility,” he said, adding that over the past two days 351 children were accommodated at the Separated Children Facilities on the beachfront of which 207 children were taken to the Overnight Facility. “One hundred and ninety seven children were back with their parents later int he evening and 10 remained overnight,” he said.