SAMPLES of the red substance which was pumped into the sea at Battery Beach at the beginning of the month have been sent to the lab for tests, says ward 27 councillor, Martin Meyer.
At the time of the incident, Meyer reported it to the Environmental Health Department for investigation and said last week that the Department had replied to him and he was now waiting on results from the lab tests.
“The Department said they will let me know once the results are out. They confirmed that the line comes from Mornignside and so serves the light industrial area of lower Morningside,” he said.
ALSO READ: Mystery pollutant turns sea red on Durban’s Battery Beach
A video and images of the incident were posted on social media on 2 March by local surfer, Siraj Paruk, who saw the red substance entering the ocean in the afternoon from the Battery Beach stormwater outfall. He said the plume extended for hundreds of meters beyond the bathing area, and that the discharge was still continuing at sunset.
Meyer said he received emails from people who fell ill after swimming in the area and that he had also sent this information to the officials.
“I thank everyone who spread this story and thus helped us track down the cause,” said Meyer.
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