AUTHORITIES are clamping down on drinking in protected areas this festive season as temporary roadblocks in St Lucia, for the duration of the holidays, forbid alcohol on the town’s beaches.
After a successful trial during the October school holidays, the iSimangaliso Wetland Park Authority employed the services of a private security company to organise and man three roadblocks in St Lucia, 24-hours a day.
Situated on the roads leading to St Lucia’s beaches, the roadblocks are designed to deter the public from taking alcohol to the marine protected areas.
Every car, taxi and pedestrian is searched and all alcohol confiscated and those unwilling to give up their alcohol are not allowed to proceed.
Confiscated alcohol is marked and returned to its owners as they return from the beach.
While still early in the season, the roadblocks appear to have had a positive effect on litter, with only nine rubbish bags being cleared from Jabula Beach last Saturday morning.
During the holiday period last year, an average of 120 bags of rubbish were cleared from Jabula Beach every day.
As well as manning the roadblocks, the security company patrols the beaches in an attempt to prevent people from hiding alcohol in the sand the night before their party.
Tuesday tested the success of the roadblocks and, while there was a strong police presence appearing to keep the beach parties under control, people unwilling to give up their liquor took their party to public parks in St Lucia.
Braaing, drinking and partying at the entrance to the town quickly led to an abundance of litter on the streets and in the open areas while alcohol-induced fights broke out later in the evening.
Nevertheless, by early evening on Tuesday, only a handful of people had been arrested for drinking in public and no crimes had been reported.
