A SHORTAGE of duty lifeguards could spell disaster for Alkantstrand as the festive season starts in earnest.
Already some 4 000 bathers a day are visiting the city’s main beach.
That number could grow to as many as 50 000 on New Year’s Day – by which time the understaffed, overworked and underpaid lifeguards will be even harder pressed to cope.
Attendees at an emergency meeting of the Disaster Management Advisory Forum held at the civic centre on Tuesday to discuss the Beach Contingency Plan, were shocked to learn of the perilous state of lifesaver numbers and resources.
The meeting heard 35 volunteer lifeguard posts had been advertised, but only 19 responses were received, of which two failed the required fitness test.
They are hoping for more late responses but, at best, there will only be about 25 lifeguards available to cover both Alkantstrand and the teeming Bay Hall area.
One of the reasons given was that other coastal cities paid lifeguards more than the City of uMhlathuze did – and they also paid overtime.
Qualified local volunteers have thus located to other towns for the festive season.
And while there were a few contributing factors, the overriding one was the question of limited budget, especially for overtime – a problem seemingly shared by the traffic department as they face an equally gruelling beach holiday season.
It is understood a request for an amount of R132 000 for lifeguard overtime was refused by council – raising the anger of attendees.
Presently lifeguards are on duty from 8am to 5pm. From 15 December this will extend from 7am to 6pm, although ‘some lifeguards do stay until dark’.
This fact was seen as a negative, as it encouraged swimmers – many of them drunk – to enter the water.
Condemnation
‘There are not nearly enough lifeguards on duty on the busy days,’ said Cllr Kevin Sukreben, representing KZN Emergency Medical Rescue Services, adding that ‘the absence of senior managers at such an important meeting is unacceptable’.
Others joined in the condemnation of money being put before the need to protect lives, especially given the high number of drownings and near drownings each year.
‘We cannot put a price on the lives of people. We need to pay lifeguards a better salary and overtime so they are not attracted elsewhere – and it is no good waiting until the eleventh hour before taking action,’ said community activist Sandy Camminga.
‘This matter needs to get onto the IDP and budget as an urgent item because every year we face the same scenario: the beach manager and his meagre forces must manage with limited help and resources.
‘We have been told a special council meeting has been called for Thursday and if possible this state of affairs needs to be rectified. Funds must be diverted and overtime pay sourced for lifeguards.
‘Council allocates hundreds of thousands of rands for frivolous entertainment while lives are placed at risk because of budgetary restraints.’
In the larger context, Richards Bay is increasingly failing to attract trainee lifeguards.
The lifesaving club at Alkantstrand is run by the professional lifeguards, at their own substantial expense and without financial assistance from the municipality.
Permanent problem
Cllr Sukreben also deemed a single ambulance room located at Alkantstrand ‘hopelessly insufficient’, as the ambulance would be landlocked and take at least four hours to take a patient to hospital and return.
‘During that time, the beach would be medically unprotected.’
On the positive side, a number of inflatable rescue craft have been made available from the SAPS, NSRI and Fire Department, while access points for rescue helicopters will also be demarcated.
Security will assist lifeguards after hours to keep people out of the water.
Another issue of concern was a report that – with time running out – portable toilets for the beach area have still not been sourced – a potential major health risk.
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