PICS, VIDEO: Alleged chemical spill leads to death of marine life in eMdloti, uMhlanga

FOOD and fuel shortages as well as a lack of sleep for members of the public patrolling the community have been adverse side affects to the ongoing unrest in the country. 

However, it is now believed that the environment might also suffer as a result of the violent riots. 

On Thursday morning reports began to surface of dead cray fish washing up along the eMdloti shoreline. 

Ward councillor for the area, Geoff Pullan as well as Terry Rens of the eMdloti UIP said the current assumption is that pesticides from one of the warehouses set ablaze in Durban had made its way into the stormwater drains and into the oceans. 

ALSO READ: VIDEO: Emergency services respond to warehouse fire in Riverhorse Valley

What’s more, Rens said Ohlanga Lagoon was flowing blue on Thursday, July 15.

“That river has never, ever flown blue. It just does not happen,” she said. 

A video had also surfaced on Thursday showing blue water running into the ocean via the Blue Lagoon in Durban. 

Pullan said it was not “rocket science” to understand that the chemicals would eventually end up in the oceans. 

“The first reaction was that it was sewage works that had packed up somewhere, but that is not the case,” he said. 

ALSO READ: SANBS speaks out on recent vandalism following Ramaphosa’s address

Both Pullan and Rens said residents from the area had reported that they could smell chemicals in the water. 

The councillor said while there is no confirmation on how many crayfish had been killed, it made sense why they were collateral damage in the ongoing violent riots. 

“Those are the coastal creatures that live along the shoreline. They would have been mostly affected as the water would have been less diluted along the shoreline,” he said. 

“Unfortunately, there is not much we can do at this stage. We will have to wait for the sea to dilute the chemicals,” he said.

In a statement released on Thursday, the eThekwini Municipality confirmed the reports of dead fish and crustaceans washing up along the shorelines of uMhlanga and eMdloti. 

“While the exact cause of this remains unknown, it is considered serious and can affect one’s health if collected and consumed. As such, the public is advised to refrain from all recreational activities, including fishing or surfing, bait collection and picking up of dead species. Collecting or harvesting of any marine living resource in the area is temporarily prohibited until the cause is determined and the threat has abated,” the statement read. 

Pullan warned that the Sharks Board had removed the nets. 

Rens said the UIP had collected some of the carcasses and are hoping to have them tested once the current chaos has settled. 

In it’s statement, the City said authorities are investigating the source of the pollution and clean-up companies are trying to contain the spill.