Swimming with turds: Sewage woes could see KZN tourism go down the toilet

The increasing plight of KwaZulu-Natal’s debilitated sewage infrastructure has not only left a bad taste in the mouths of residents, but threatens to affect the province’s tourism industry.

KZN has struggled to recover from recent and previous floods and the July lootings of last year, in addition to alleged tender corruption.

This created a toxic recipe for disaster, warned University of Free State Centre for Environmental Management Professor Anthony Turton, who said evidence of multi-drug resistant pathogens has also begun to emerge.

The Department of Water and Sanitation’s Blue Drop report found 26.5% of the province’s 250 water treatment plants, which serve an estimated 8.6 million people, were categorised as “critical risk”.

Of these plants, 58% were considered high risk when it came to microbiological and chemical compliance.

ALSO READ: More Durban beaches closed after poor water quality results found

Tourism risks

Beaches remaining closed are also a blemish on the province, with Southern Sun Hotels regional director of operations for KZN, Samantha Croft, confirming that tourism in the province has been badly hit.

Croft said this was evident during the July holidays, as well as the September holidays, where a definite drop in tourist activity was noted.

“We have to work on it; we have two months to go before the festive season starts.”

The Westbrook, Bronze, Umhlanga, Umdloti, Isipingo, Reunion, Pipeline, Toti Main, Warner, Baggies, Winklespruit, Garvies and Ansteys beaches are still closed to the public.

Unfortunately, Croft said the success of the upcoming festive season hinges on the eThekwini municipality fixing damaged infrastructure in Durban, where many large hotels operate.

“We met with the City last week, and it was indicated a large water treatment plants should be online by 5 November, and that they are 75% of the way there.

“One that was highlighted, the Umhlanga sewage plant, is responsible for the majority of the pollution. If that [is repaired], we should be OK.”

She said the alarm was also raised through the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

“They’re aware this is a big issue, we are after all a tourist destination.”

But it is too early to determine whether the upcoming December holidays will be as adversely affected.

Croft pointed out that buying patterns of consumers had changed due to Covid-19, with more last-minute planning taking place than in previous years.

ALSO READ: Sewage hits the fan in Durban, as flood repair funding remains in limbo

Where is the money?

The DA’s KZN spokesperson on Department of Economic Development and Environmental Affairs Heinz de Boer told The Citizen last month the R1 billion promised by President Cyril Ramaphosa for the flood-ravaged province was rumoured to be given as a loan, with the money coming off next year’s budget.

National Treasury has since dismissed the allegation, explaining in their response that it “does not issue loans to departments and municipalities, nor are immediate relief funds offset in future budgets.”

The department confirmed to The Citizen that a total of R406.9 million has been approved and transferred to KZN municipalities from the Municipal Disaster Relief Grant.

R140 million has been transferred to the province’s human settlements department from the Provincial Emergency Housing Grant.

“The balance of the approved funds of this grant (R185.5 million) will be transferred once the province spends at least 80% of the first tranche.”

In addition, Treasury said funding requests for the repair and reconstruction of damaged infrastructure has been received, but that this fell outside the “category of immediate needs”.

NOW READ: WATCH: KZN sewage leaks a breeding ground for disease, warns expert