Ethekwini metro police apparently believe drinking alcohol in public is not an offence, after being called out to a raucous party at Westbrook beach on the Heritage Day public holiday at which one person is believed to have died.
Blythedale Beach, further north, suffered a similar fate the same day, with a prominent local politician saying there was only so much police could do to control public drunkeness.
At Westbrook, Councillor Geoff Pullan and police argued about what the law said about consuming alcohol in public.
The police seemed confused over what was allowed and what was not.
“They thought I was joking and told me that drinking in public was fine,” said cllr Pullan.
The Ethekwini by-laws state that a person is committing an offence if he is drunk, or under the influence of, or administers a dependence-producing substance to himself or another person, in a street or public place.
Party animals who could not understand what the big fuss was about left the parking area, beach and grass embankments along the M4 covered in broken glass and vomit. Westbrook residents were greeted by a sunrise over passed-out and hung over young people lying on a blanket of trash.
“Why are they complaining about the mess? It does not happen every day,” said party-goer Zama Khumalo, who was still in the mood to party.
Love Ndlovu did not agree that dirtying someone else’s living space was disrespectful and Emmanuel Vilakazi warned that there would be many more parties.
“This is only the beginning of Christmas,” he said.
“This kind of mess is unfair to the cleaners,” said Pullan, while looking at the area.
“Why do we pay such high rates if the municipality allows this kind of behaviour?” asked Westbrook resident, Louise Patterson, who had to drive through the drunken horde on her way home.
A fight reportedly broke out at the party and one person was reported missing the following morning.
Three days later, a spear fisherman made a grisly discovery when he came upon a corpse lying on the seabed between Westbrook beach and Tongaat River mouth.
“The body was obviously not in a good condition and it has been a bit of a shock to me,” said local spear fisherman Byron Peach. Tongaat police said they were investigating the possibility that the body may have been that of the person who went missing on Tuesday night.
At Blythedale, which was also invaded by a reckless mob of drunk party goers, residents said they were terrified. Some holiday makers wanted to leave as the noise and horror outside kept them awake.
Angry residents said the situation could have been avoided had the municipality adhered to their pleas for access control like in previous years.
KwaDukuza councillor and speaker, Cllr Thulani Khuluse, said: “Crime prevention control patrols the beaches randomly, confiscates alcohol and chases unruly people away, but there is only so much we can do.”
Since the incidents, police have set up a road block at the entrance to Westbrook beach and said they would confiscate alcohol.
“We are delighted that the Metro police intend to man the access points until after the New Year,” said cllr Pullan.
The chairman of the Tongaat Community Police Forum, Nazir Sadack, agreed.
“It is fantastic to see metro police, SAPS and the community come together and support each other to make Westbrook clean and safe again.”
