Amanzimtoti beach plans for December kick off

To reduce traffic on Beach Road during the festive season, it is being considered that public transport such as busses and taxis be diverted to a park and ride facility. The plan may see visitors park in the old CBD municipal parking area, with the overflow accommodated at the circus site along Civic Road.

“The municipality will facilitate, free of charge to commuters, several branded buses to operate a route between the parkade and Pipeline Beach between 6am and 10pm with the down route leading along Kingsway into Carlisle and Beach roads and the return along Beach Road into Rosslyn Road and again into Kingsway to the old CBD,” said ward 97 councillor, Andre Beetge after eThekweni Municipality’s festive season management committee (Fesmac) meetings concluded this week.

Mobile toilet facilities will be available at the park and ride site, along with security to ensure the safety of parked vehicles, and pop-up vendors to facilitate food and beverages. Access and activities will be subject to strict control and policing initiatives.

Pop up markets and vendors

To assist in job creation, the city will issue temporary vendor permits for Isipingo Beach, Tiger Rocks, Pipeline Beach, Amanzimtoti braai area north of Splash Waterworld, Shad Place, the circus site along Civic Road, Winklespruit and Umgababa.

“There will be strict enforcement of both regular and temporary permits and the goods of any vendor without a permit will be summarily removed. Law enforcement will have an approved traders list to eliminate any rogue traders,” said Cllr Beetge. There will be a total ban on the selling of fireworks by any trader.

An accredited facilitator with past knowledge and experience in facilitating two night markets on the Amanzimtoti beach promenade is invited to contact Cllr Beetge on 082-718-8137 for details.

Events

In addition to the Sapphire Coast holiday programme that takes place annually on Pipeline, Amanzimtoti, Warner and Winklespruit beaches, the city has received and approved the Winkle-Toti-Winkle Race and an event at Mnini Dam on Sunday, 16 December, as well as a New Year event at Mnini Sports Ground on 1 January.
“No major events were approved at any beaches on any of the traditional high usage days, with no events whatsoever being approved for Reunion, Dakota and Pipeline beaches,” said Cllr Beetge.

Pools

While maintenance and repairs continue on some of the southern pools, the aquatic department has committed to have all local pools complete and open for the duration of the festive season.

Beach Road permits and Metro Police

The permit system for Beach Road, managed from the temporary structure at the corner of Beach and Carlisle roads, will again be implemented. However, access by permits will only be enforced if and when the situation requires it.
Requests for permits (including bulk requests by body corporates) can be emailed to Capt Devan Govender at deven.govender@durban.gov.za.

“Once issued, permits can be collected from the kiosk while requests by senior citizens and physically disabled will be delivered by Metro Police officers. Should authorities detect any permit abuse and misuse, these permits will be confiscated, destroyed and not reissued. Access will be accommodated for the physically disabled. Closure of recreation facilities will commence from 6pm.

More manpower will be allocated to Winklespruit with soft closures when parking areas are full, whereafter only emergency vehicles will be allowed to enter in the interests of safety,” said Cllr Beetge.

Roaming roadblocks that started from mid-October will continue into the festive season, with focus on driving under the influence and other road infringements.

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SAPS

Additional manpower will be deployed with strategic plans to facilitate traditional high volume days.

Beach law enforcement

Childminder and lost children minder applications have closed and 30 seasonal personnel will be deployed to manage these portfolios. Children not reunited with their parents by 6pm will be taken to Addington Beach Primary School. Beach guide applications have also closed. Fifty additional security guards will be deployed across all beaches starting from Saturday, 1 December.

DSW

Forty additional DSW staff will be employed starting 1 December with the bulk shared between Isipingo and Amanzimtoti’s ‘Platinum Mile’. Additional bins have been requested in addition to 200 allocated to beaches for replacement of rusted and damaged drums. Overlapping shifts will be implemented from 6am to 2pm and 2pm and 10pm. A mechanical sweeper will be on standby.

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Parks

Walkways and braais are being serviced and bush cut back. Tree cutting along the promenade will commence from next week. Clearing around the old CBD has started. Verge cutting is on schedule and weed spraying is ongoing.

Beach cleaning

Thirty additional beach cleaning staff will be deployed from 1 December. Hours will run from 6am to 6pm but on busy days will extend up to 10pm. Mobile toilets, along with VIP pay toilets, will be placed across several identified areas.

Lifeguards

Twenty-five seasonal lifeguards will be deployed from 1 December. Three new permanent lifeguards are already employed. New beach equipment includes seven jetskis, seven rescue sleds, four rescue boats, seven quad bikes and 10 rescue boards.

Baggies Beach

Due to the extremely dangerous conditions, Baggies Beach has been declared a non-bathing beach. “Rudeness and abuse of officials who enforce this will not be tolerated and local residents are urged to set an example and not become part of the problem,” said Cllr Beetge.

For more details, call Fesmac chairman Jayce Govender on 074-562-4888 or Cllr Andre Beetge on 082-718-8137.