eThekwini in a race against time to fix flood damage by December

eThekwini officials are racing against the clock and a tight budget to fix several problematic pump stations and wastewater treatment plans that are contaminating the City’s beaches.

It will cost around R460 million to repair the damaged infrastructure, R160 million for pump stations and over R300 million to tackle wastewater treatment plans.

National Treasury has so far already allocated R184 million for restoration efforts, and eThekwini Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda said the City had reprioritised its budget to cover the much-needed repairs.

“It is our fervent hope that these all-important repairs will ensure that our beaches are not contaminated so that they can remain open throughout the festive season,” said Kaunda.

Central and south beaches that have since opened include:

• Bay of Plenty
• Ushaka, North Beach
• Wedge Beach
• Umgababa
• Umkhomazi
• Brighton
• Treasure Beaches

eThekwini’s dirty beaches: Not new or necessarily disaster-related

Just last month, several beaches listed below were closed due to poor water quality.

• Brighton beach
• Ansteys beach
• Point beach
• uShaka beach
• Addington beach
• South beach
• Wedge beach
• North beach
• Bay of Plenty
• Battery beach
• Country Club eThekwini beach
• Laguna beach
• Baggies beach
• Reunion beach

During the July unrest last year, Durban North beaches were closed due to a chemical spill from the United Phosphorus Limited (UPL) Chemical Plant in Cornubia.

A few months later (September 2021), raw sewage spilt into Durban Harbour, Wilson’s Wharf, Durban’s Golden Mile and Umhlanga beaches.

Pollution runs rife in KwaZulu-Natal, but the issue has been exacerbated by the April floods, which severely damaged sewage infrastructure.

Compounding eThekwini’s waste management problems is the condition of its inner City.

“We’ve heard the concerns raised by the business community and by our residents. We have since introduced a targeted approach to rid our City of grime and filth,” said Kaunda.

The City has since deployed dedicated teams to pick up litter and sweep the streets in all shifts.
Area managers will also be keeping a close eye on the waste problem with regular inspections.

Crime control

According to crime statistics released in June, Inanda and Umlazi were identified for their high levels of murder and sexual crimes.

Kaunda, together with Police Minister Bheki Cele, will on Friday conduct a crime imbizo in the two areas as part of preparations to host local and international tourists this festive season.

“The focus on crime is most opportune as we build up to the festive season. We want our visitors not only to feel welcome but also to feel safe,” said Kaunda.

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