Drowned toddler resuscitated
While crowds flock to Durban's beaches, authorities are warning bathers to adhere to advice from lifesavers after paramedics managed to resuscitate a toddler that had drowned on South Beach.
THE festive season has reached its peak in Durban with more than 313 066 people having visited various beaches within the metro over the weekend of 18 – 20 December. According to the municipality, about 180 children were separated from the guardians but by the end of the weekend had been reunited with their families.
Wristbands, on which guardians’ contact details are written, are issued to assist in reuniting separated children with their parents or guardians. Beach Buddies and Child Minders issued about 15 354 wristbands during the past weekend.
The Municipality’s Chairperson of the Festive Season Management Committee (FESMAC) Sbusiso Mkhwanazi urged parents and guardians to be vigilant and ensure that their children are kept within sight and are safe at all times.
On a more serious note, on Monday afternoon a two-year-old little boy drowned at Durban’s South Beach. According to paramedics from the KZN Department of Health’s Emergency Medical Services, they responded to a report of a drowning. Paramedics arrived to find lifesavers performing CPR on the little boy. The paramedics took over and managed to get the child’s heart beating again.However, the child’s condition remained critical and paramedics continued to treat the toddler while transporting him to hospital.
Approximately 84 rescues were carried out over the weekend, where bathers had difficulty under water, while 253 people received first aid treatment for blue bottle stings and minor cuts. A 27-year old female drowned at Illovo River Mouth, a non-bathing beach. Her body was recovered by lifeguards on 18 December.
Mkhwanazi urged all beachgoers to adhere to instructions given by lifeguards to ensure that everybody has a safe and enjoyable festive season. “Beachgoers should only swim within designated bathing areas, marked with red and yellow flagged beacons. Swimming hours are strictly from 6am to 6.30pm. The public may not swim at night nor should they swim at beaches that are not manned by lifeguards. No alcohol is to be brought onto or consumed on the beaches,” he said.
He emphasised that braaing is only allowed from Sunkist to Blue Lagoon beaches at central beaches. Braaing is strictly prohibited from other areas of the beach.
Beach and City maintenance is on track as staff work daily to ensure that beaches and surrounding areas are litter free. About 302 202.19 tons of litter was collected. The Durban Solid Waste clean-up team is working in three shifts which are scheduled from 6am to 2.30pm, 3pm to 11pm and 10pm to 5.30pm. There is a staff complement of approximately 144 people.
With local and international tourists continuing to flock into the City, patrons are urged to play their part by ensuring that they put their litter in one of the 1 276 bins provided around the Durban City Centre.
