IT’S with great sadness and disgust in humanity that I write this.
I have been a Bay boy since 1978, and while growing up had the pleasure of being able to chill with friends over the holiday season and weekends at all the lovely venues the area had to offer.
These were Alkantstrand, the Bay hall, steel bridge, canal, Naval Island and even the lake.
Then in my older years before beach ban, it was Five Mile beach, Nhlabane, Dawsons, Lombards, long beach, Nyogies, ledges, the light house and the once beautiful New Mouth beach.
All these public places were well maintained by the municipality and the people using these areas.
But let’s be realistic, how can the municipality keep up when the people just blatantly litter?
They can clean all week and then Friday afternoon 10 people visit a spot, braai there for two hours and then leave it in a filthy mess.
The beaches north of Alkantstrand were once maintained by the beach goers. A strict code of conduct was in place – what you brought with you, you took home!
This holiday I have tried to take my family out to have a day in the sun, a braai and some fun (with my refuse bags).
This was when the appalling facts were revealed to us, as to why this has been highlighted so many times in your newspaper .
We tried all the venues, only to find a disgraceful mess.
People partying and overindulging and making absolute fools of themselves, underage drinking and then to top it all, just throwing rubbish everywhere.
Food for thought – Ushaka Water World and all the many other top class water parks are all costly venues to visit.
But with this they are able to maintain high standards and great policing of the venues so that all the visitor can enjoy a stress-free and safe outing.
Perhaps it’s time in this age of high unemployment, to ‘boom gate’ all the pleasure spots and charge a fee for access.
This revenue can then be used to create employment to police and clean up our beautiful spots.
This will kill two birds with one stone – create employment and restore beauty to the Bay.
Just a thought from an outdoors Bay boy who is now a prisoner in his own home.
HAPPY NEW YEAR ALL
