Putrid odour permeates uMhlanga Lagoon

A FOUL odour emanating from the popular uMhlanga Lagoon, has caused major concern among local residents. When Northglen News visited the site this afternoon, the smell was so severe that residents had to hold their noses as they walked past the lagoon.  But the overwhelming stench is not the only concern for beach goers, as a number of dead fish have been found near the mouth of the lagoon.

The stretch of uMhlanga’s beach is well known and is a hugely  popular spot for families and their pets and is one of six Durban beaches to be shortlisted by the city for the Blue Flag programme.

Brian Wright from the uMhlanga Urban Improvement Precinct (UIP) said he believed the smell could have been caused by a sewage spill.

“I cannot confirm that this is the cause of the foul odour. We have reported it to the revelant municipal bodies but I’m yet to get any feedback from them,” Wright said.

Residents have also voiced their concern the putrid stench and the dirty water may pose a health risk as it flows into the sea.

“The smell is disgusting,” said Jeff de Vries, manager at Umhlanga Sands Hotel and local trail runner. “Ive been running that stretch of beach for more than 30 years and I’ve never smelt anything so putrid. The smell is so bad you can get a whiff on the M4 highway running over the lagoon.

“One of the men running with us kept retching this morning because of the smell. This is a huge health risk not just for the people but for the wildlife and marine life,” he said.

Another uMhlanga resident, Vincent Haverly said he’d seen a number of dead fish scattered across the sand in the early hours of this morning.

“What’s interesting is the fish haven’t been touched by the fishermen or the birds which is a sign that there is something wrong. My concern is when I walked past Bronze Beach, the municipal board that tests the sea water for e-coli and other bacteria, was last checked in April. That’s absolutely shocking and something has to be done,” Haverly said.