Dirtbin!

THE shocking state of the Durban beachfront at the weekend has sparked an uproar on social media as local residents slam the authorities for the lack of law enforcement.

Visitors to the beachfront on Saturday at 9am, had to make their way carefully through piles of litter and broken bottles which lay strewn across the large parking lot at North Beach. Car guards from the CPF North Beach Sub Forum car watch project, who man this area, reported that the littered car park was nothing new.

“This happens every weekend. I arrived this morning at 5.45am and the music was pumping. People were dancing and drinking. The people sleep over at the beachfront. This has been ongoing since Thursday morning. We work here to make a living, but we have nothing to do until the mess is cleaned as no one will park here in this mess. Last Sunday we waited until 11.30am before we could work,” said car guard, Fanie Coetzee.

James Goordeen said three DSW vans had driven past the littered lot but had ignored the mess.

“When we signal for them and Metro Police to stop they ignore us. The people who work at the fleamarket on a Sunday are complaining as well. It makes you heartsore, it's just getting worse by the day, it's terrible,” he said.

“This shouldn't be allowed to happen. The municipality needs to do something. Where are Metro Police, they are not doing their job. Visitors don't come here anymore – the first thing they see when they drive up to the beachfront is this mess, it's not right, you can't bring children here. What's going to happen in December?,” asked a concerned Fanie.

He suggested booms be installed and signage erected to stop taxis and buses from parking at the beachfront, and said security should be hired for proper control.

In a letter to Berea Mail, accompanied by photographs, resident Roz Fraser said: “This is what our beautiful Durban beach looked like on Saturday morning at 5:20am where the party was still in full swing with youngsters behaving in the most despicable manner. Where does this trash come from and where is the wonderful policing – these are photographs circulating on Facebook and reaching people overseas. Commonwealth Games – what a joke! Dirty Durban is spiralling downward.”

North Beach resident, Mahmood Vawda said the mess left behind by weekend revellers was no surprise. “Hats off to the Caring City for coming to the party – not! I too experienced Durban's offering, driving through Blue Lagoon and Snell Parade to uShaka. Wow! The best experience was seeing, on Sunday, a solitary Durban Metro Police officer dutifully checking for licence disks near the Tourism Junction, within earshot of the Pavilion site. Sorry for you, visitors.”

Ward 27 councillor Martin Meyer reacted with shock to the state of the Durban beachfront over the weekend. Meyer said he was told about the chaos on Thursday and received some disturbing pictures of the mess on the beachfront.

“I decided to have a look for myself, and went there early on Friday, Saturday and Sunday morning. The filth, the stench and chaos was unbelievable,” he said.

Meyer confirmed that this was not a new problem. He said he had previously held meetings with SAPS, Metro Police and the Parks Department regarding this matter, adding that the problem worsened over long weekends and during school holidays.

“I fully understand that the beach areas and Blue Lagoon are there for everyone to enjoy, but this must be done in a responsible manner and within the boundaries of the bylaws,” said Meyer.

He pointed out that during weekends some vehicles were parked there the whole weekend, with people staying on the premises overnight. “There are limited facilities for them, which means that toilets, washing and everything else happens right there in the carpark or on the beach,” he said.

Commenting on the new nuisance bylaws the city has adopted, Meyer said while the DA had previously pointed out it supported the nuisance bylaw, the problem had never been with the law, but with the enforcement of it.”Parks Department and Metro Police has a mandate to enforce these bylaws and it is vital that the city’s assists, of which the beachfront is possibly one of the most valuable, should be protected,” he said.

Meyer said he would call for an urgent meeting with Metro Police, SAPS, Parks and Recreation and Durban Tourism to discuss this matter.

“With Durban being called one of the hidden gems in the world, and with the very expensive Commonwealth Games coming to Durban, the city must act to protect our most valuable tourism asset, not only for tourists, but also for all residents of our city,” he said.

No comment was received from the eThekwini municipality at time of going to press.