The KwaDukuza Municipality has closed beaches and tidal pools in uMhlali and Salt Rock following a series of “fish kill” incidents. According to the Zululand Observer, the municipality has shut the uMhlali River mouth at Tinley Manor beach and the Shaka’s Cove tidal pool in Salt Rock until further notice.

The decision follows the discovery of hundreds of dead fish washed down the uMhlali River earlier this week. In a statement released yesterday, the municipality confirmed the closures are a precautionary measure to ensure public health, safety, and environmental protection.

The public is advised to:

• Refrain from swimming or entering the water.
• Avoid fishing, collecting marine life, or participating in water-related activities.
• Keep children and pets away from the affected areas.

The North Coast Courier reported that authorities are currently working to determine the cause of the mass die-off in the uMhlali River estuary, south of Tinley Manor. Thousands of aquatic creatures—including barracuda, mullet, flathead, juvenile kingfish, crabs, and shrimp—were found dead on Thursday morning following a heavy thunderstorm.

While it remains unclear how far upstream the contamination started, water samples have been collected and sent to Talbot Laboratory for urgent testing.

In a related incident, the South Coast Sun reported that the eThekwini Municipality confirmed a recent fish kill in the Isipingo River was caused by a sewage spill. Local residents noted that this marks the third major environmental disaster in the Isipingo River since 2022.

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