Durban’s holiday season in full swing

WITH the  festive season well in its peak, the eThekwini Municipality is pulling out all the stops to ensure holidaymakers enjoy their stay int he city. Chairman of the city’s Festive Season management Committee, Christo Swart, said the city hoped to maintain the number of visitors that come to Durban beaches over the festive season. “Last year we recorded around 3-million visitors to our beachers throughout the festive holiday season,” he said. adding that over the past weekend alone, more than 125000 people were recorded at various beaches around the city.

“Taking the numbers into account and for all to enjoy their stay in Durban, it is important to reiterate that no alcohol is to be brought onto or consumed on the beaches and where found will be confiscated immediately,” he said. Swart said braaing was only allowed from Sunkist to Blue Lagoon beaches and is strictly prohibited at other areas of the beach.

He warned beachgoers to swim within the designated bathing areas, marked with red and yellow flagged beacons, whilst the lifeguards are on duty. Swimming hours are from 6am to 6.30pm and no swimming is allowed at night. No lifeguards are on duty at night.

“Visitors must also ensure their belongings are secure even though SAPS, Metro Police and law enforcement officers and security guards are on duty and will assist if required,” he said. Swart commended parents who acted speedily and ensured no children had to spend the night at the overnight facility over the past weekend.  “Currently there are no separated children at the overnight facility waiting to be reunited with their parents or guardians,” he said. The municipality’s Separated Children’s Programme implemented a few years ago continues to be a success. The programme includes the provision of gazebo facilities on the beachfront clarly marked Separated Children where children who are separated from their parents or guardians are looked after and later re-united with their families. Children are supplied with wrist bands to which guardians’ contact details are written and are issued to assist in re-uniting separated children with their parents or guardians. Beach Buddies and child Minders isued about 21 900 wrist bands over th epast weekend to children who visited various beaches around the city.

An overnigh facility is also set up where children are card for by child minders if they have not been reunited with their families during the day. Wristbands are readily available from Beach Buddies on arrival at the beach. Beach Buddies can be identified by the white T-shirts and orange bibs they wear.

Parents are urged to ensure their children are always within sight. Should a child be separated from the family, parents should immediately look for their children at the gazebo marked Separated Children. Child miners are at the beach from 8am to 5pm and at the overnight facility should children not be collected by 5pm. When collecting children, parents must produce their identity documents as proof they are the child’s legal guardian.

Swart said the municipality condemns the behaviour of some parents and guardians who neglected their children leaving them stranded at the beach. He said irresponsible parents could be criminally charged under the Children’s Act should negligence be suspected.

Separated Children eqnuiries can be done at 031 3224394