THE eThekwini Municipality says the past weekend has proven that law enforcement is more than ready for the festive season. Acting chairperson of FESMAC, Malcolm Canham, said the activities of the long weekend were an opportunity to test the effectiveness of the systems put in place.
Statistics for the long weekend, 14-17 December 2018 show that approximately 410 210 patrons were recorded on the beach, with the southern region hosting 298 028 patrons. The northern region was home to 63 000 beach-goers.
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Canham applauded the park and ride system which he described as a big success. “All vehicles were directed to the Drive-Inn Site. This resulted in a free flow of traffic on the beachfront and our visitors seem to be enjoying this arrangement because it is for everyone’s benefit,” said Canham.
About 106 rescue operations were carried out and 4231 people received first aid treatment, mostly from blue bottle stings.
“Approximately 1725 children were separated from their parents/guardians. They were all reunited, thanks to the 39 947 armbands issued to all children at the beaches. Officials have urged parents and guardians to be extra cautious when coming to the beach with children, as they can easily get lost in the large crowd,” said the City in a statement.
From the Cleansing and Solid Waste Department, 413 staff members worked on a three shift system daily and 1 807 432 tons of litter was collected. Members of the public are urged to keep the City clean by ensuring that they dispose of their litter in the bins provided.
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