Beach clean-ups get backing of city

THE city has refuted statements made by uMhlanga ward councillor Heinz de Boer on Monday regarding beach clean-ups. Four beaches were temporarily closed last month as a safety precaution after medical waste was found. De Boer took to Facebook, saying the city should have been asked for permission to clean up the mess that was strewn across three Durban North beaches.

However, according to eThekwini Municipality speaker, Logie Naidoo, the city is fully behind any clean-up initiatives by residents and local groups and NGOs.

“This is absolutely misleading. At the executive committee meeting we were given a presentation regarding the progress of the clean-up campaign as well as the investigation into the source of the medical waste. In light of what was found on the beach, for example the medical waste which included ARVs, tuberculosis tablets and other items, which is not normal rubbish, we suggested that residents ask the city’s health department and parks department for permission as the material was potentially hazardous to those cleaning.

“It’s not unusual for this sort of protocol to be followed. We want to protect residents. You cannot take a chance with the medical waste. We want to assure people we are committed to support groups of residents who clean litter-strewn beaches of their own volition. If you’d like to clean a beach, by all means do. We appreciate and support them 100 per cent in their endeavours. We even supplied T-shirts and gloves to the group recently involved in the #CleanBlueLagoon initiative. We salute the residents and I’m deeply disappointed by how our comments were distorted,” he said. 

Naidoo added the recent clean-up showed just how much people care about their city and said they were committed to working hand-in-hand with all role-players.