Durban surfer warns fellow beachgoers after stepping on needle

What started off as an early morning trip to the beachfront to catch a wave turned into a nightmare experience for local surfer David Young.

David was at North Beach in Durban last Tuesday and while walking down to the ocean at the north pier, he felt something sharp pierce his foot.

“I initially thought I had stood on a stick or glass, as it has happened before, but then I looked down and saw I had stepped on a needle. It was like I had stood on a landmine, I got such a fright! I have seen them before on the beachfront and it has always been a fear of mine, a bigger fear than a shark attack, so I am always wary,” he told Berea Mail.

David said the needle hadn’t stayed in his foot, but he noticed it was bent. He said a million thoughts went through his mind when it happened.

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“It started to really bug me, I couldn’t just go and surf. I put my foot in the water to check it out, I could feel it was scraped and decided to speak to the lifeguards. I spoke to one, who said it wasn’t good, but by his reaction, I could see it had happened before. He said it should be fine as the needle had been sitting in saltwater and sand,” he said.

Not trusting that advice, David called the ER and was urged to go see his GP.

“My doctor gave me a tetanus and hepatitis injection and prescribed appropriate treatment, as he said you can’t be too careful. At least it gives me peace of mind that my doctor is looking out for me!” he said.

David said he wanted to warn other people to be aware, and if it happens to them, to definitely go see a doctor to have it treated.

“You never know how long the needle has been there, and rather be safe than sorry. That needle could’ve been used the night before. Who knows where it has been? I know of incidents going back to 2016 and last year there was a huge outcry about it. It is a fact of life, and people need to be very careful, especially children.

“When walking on the beach, always walk in the footprints of the person with you, and check where you put your bags and other items you take with you. These needles are generally on the surface of the sand,” he said.

He advised anyone who found a needle to take it somewhere where it could be disposed of properly.

Responding to a request by Berea Mail for comment, eThekwini Municipality’s Msawakhe Mayisela said the City worked unceasingly to rid the beaches of foreign and dangerous objects such as broken bottles and needles.

“This is executed by law enforcement and educational programmes. It should be noted though that eThekwini won’t win this war alone… Society, media and all other stakeholders have a major role to play in educating our residents. Those who may be responsible for broken bottles and needles in our beaches come from our communities or families. This means it should be everyone’s responsibility to lend a hand in our endeavour to elicit this.”

He said as far as the City knows, the beaches were ready for the multitudes of tourists who would soon be descending on Durban’s shores this festive season.

“We would like to wish the surfer a speedy recovery,” he said.

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