More medical waste found at Beachwood
A week after the city called for an emergency beach closure, the medical waste continues to linger on the Durban North beaches.
PHARMACEUTICAL waste remains scattered along the Durban North shores a week after the emergency closure of several beaches.
On Monday, a Redhill resident expressed outrage over the medical waste that had washed up along Beachwood beach. Two days later the city announced the closure of the uMngeni/Mangrove, Beachwood, Virginia and Glenashley beaches.
When the Northglen News visited the site earlier today, dozens of pill containers and medicine bottles could still be found.
Along with the potentially hazardous medical waste also remained tons of general waste. The beaches were re-opened on Friday, with the city claiming only a fraction of the waste found on the beaches was ‘pharmaceutical in nature’.
Ironically, the city announced earlier today that it would continue with its beach clean-up campaign, saying, “The safety of residents and the conservation of the coastline remains a priority.”
On the official Facebook page, the municipality shared a post saying, “Today, as part of the City’s ‘Beach Clean-up Campaign’, the Parks Recreation and Culture Unit Head, Thembinkosi Ngcobo, will lead his team in a clean-up at all northern City beaches”.
The post alleged that ‘official beach staff’ would be patrolling the Durban North beaches to collect the waste.
Ward councillor, Shaun Ryley, said he had also visited the Virginia and Glenashley beaches and that they too remained in appalling conditions.
Not a single municipal official was seen at either beach conducting clean-up operations.
