Concern as prolonged beach closures impact hospitality industry in uMhlanga
Several beaches along the coast have been closed since the floods earlier this year due to water-quality concerns.
LOCAL businessman Duncan Heafield believes that businesses in the accommodation and hospitality industry along the uMhlanga coastline could lose an estimated R25m a day if there is no solution found to the ongoing water-quality issues plaguing beaches on the KZN north coast.
Several beaches along the coast, including uMhlanga and uMdloti Beaches have been closed since the floods earlier this year.
At the centre of the closures has been the high E. coli levels which has meant any recreational activity on the beaches is prohibited.
Heafield, the new chairperson of Umhlanga Tourism, said with the festive season fast approaching, the continued beach closures, specifically in uMhlanga, could be catastrophic.
“Beaches are a major tourist attraction in uMhlanga, especially over the festive season. At the moment, in what we consider the off-season, uMhlanga is losing potentially R10m a day, and over the festive period, we anticipate that figure to be as much as R25m per day. From what I’ve seen as a restaurant owner myself, people are going to Cape Town or they’ll look to the central region to enjoy clean beaches. We have been in consultation with the City, and they have given us a timeline as to when the infrastructure will be repaired, so while I’m hopeful, I’m not optimistic considering the scale of repairs needed,” he said.
Heafield is also responsible for the Northern Corridor Hospitality Association and said the closure of the beaches has discouraged not only holidaymakers but locals, as well.
“Apart from 21 days in July, uMhlanga’s beaches have remained closed for more than 200 days. Last year, the beach was closed for more than 240 days, and we’ve seen a drastic drop in numbers from visitors and locals alike. My restaurant on the promenade is well positioned, and I’ve noticed how the closures have a knock-on effect. Everyone from the promenade vendors up to the restaurants and then hotels are suffering,” he said.
Last month, at a press briefing detailing the City’s response to flood relief efforts, eThekwini mayor Mxolisi Kaunda said that at least R460m is required to repair pump stations and sewerage infrastructure across the city.
Kaunda said one of the main concerns affecting the beaches along the northern corridor was the Ohlange (Blackburn) Sewage Pump Station.
In a statement on their Facebook page, the eThekwini Municipality said repairs to the pump station are set to be completed by the end of this month.
“The repairs on the Ohlange pump station have begun, and the contractor is working round the clock to restore and get the pump station operational again. This pump station is among many other sanitation infrastructures that were severely affected by the floods. The contractor is expected to complete the repairs by the end of November, and the pollution flowing into the Ohlange Estuary will be mitigated,” the statement read.
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