Durban beaches are STILL closed – here’s why

If you’re thinking of having a beach day along Durban’s beautiful coastline, you might want to think again. The eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality unfortunately closed all Durban beaches until further notice last week, after the recent heavy rains in the KZN province.

ALSO READ: Midvaal succeeds despite Rand Water’s failures: Solly Msimanga

DURBAN BEACHES REMAIN SHUT

Durban’s beaches have been temporarily closed for swimming and water-based activities by the eThekwini municipality and the KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board.

According to reports, the decision was made after the recent heavy rains in the province, which resulted in murky waters filled with logs and debris, causing most of the shark nets in the water to be damaged and making the beaches unsafe for the public to use.

ALSO READ: Three activities in Durban this weekend that won’t break the bank

“All water activities are prohibited. However, residents can still enjoy other activities along the beach that do not require them to come into contact with sea water,” eThekwini Municipality said in a statement.

The municipality added that teams are hard at work, trying to fix the nets and infrastructure as fast as possible and have urged that beachgoers heed the warning.

ALSO READ: Durban leads for Festivals and Events, says World Travel Awards

CAPE TOWN BEACH ALSO CLOSED DUE TO SEWAGE

In other closed beach news, the City of Cape Town has made the decision to temporarily close Strand Beach after a collapsed sewer pipe caused raw sewage to be spilled.

As reported by Cape Town Etc, on Monday, 23 October, the primary sewer line, known as the Trappies, had collapsed again, just after the City had repaired it the previous Thursday.

ALSO READ: PHOTOS: Five Blue Flag beaches you MUST visit in Cape Town this summer

Carl Punt, ward councillor for Strand, said that the sewage spill incident had occurred while repairing the Trappies sewer line, mainly due to the increase in sewage flow during rainy periods, particularly during peak hours over the past two months.

The City has urged the public to avoid the beach as contact with the water could result in potential health issues.