AT an emergency council meeting held on Wednesday, 10 August, it was agreed to bring in an additional 150 staff to clean up Toti beaches.
Two payloaders and trucks will be on hand to assist in the clean-up, which will start at Toti main beach at 8am on Thursday, 11 August and move north and south.
The timeframe is expected to be four to five days.
“The recent unexpected rainfall and subsequent devastation couldn’t have come at a worse time, amid a municipal election marred by political infighting and intervention into administrative processes in an attempt to enhance the profile of the city’s newly elected leadership,” said ward 97 councillor, Andre Beetge.
“While departments remain stretched to the limit to address washed away roads and embankments, burst water and sewage lines due to soil movement and blocked drains, eThekwini’s 98km of beaches, stretching cross four municipal districts from north of Scottburgh to south of Ballito only have one serviceable 4×4 vehicle available among them to beach cleaning operations.
While the rain and the extent thereof is an anomaly at this time of the year, to withdraw all vehicles prior to replacement during a period when the council is not in session to ratify purchases still bears testimony to some of the worst planning. Further to which the city manager’s reluctance to react in accordance with recommendations tabled in an emergency report to hire vehicles for the interim, speaks volumes for the dedication to service delivery as opposed to pleasing the newly elected but yet to be inaugurated political leadership.
We had also previously revealed that various capital expenditures and projects had been put on hold until after the elections, thereby affording the newly elected leadership to expend the budget in accordance with their decisions as opposed to implementing decisions from the previous council.
While the beach cleaning teams – with the absolute wonderful and much appreciated assistance of the community – continue to clean the beaches manually, we still await a response from the city manager regarding the hiring of 4×4 vehicles,” said Cllr Beetge.
Residents who wish to assist but are not able to remove bags to landfill sites are requested to stockpile bags above the high water mark or in the corner of beach parking areas from where it will be removed by the municipality.
