We are deeply concerned by the closure of beaches in eThekwini Municipality due to sewerage spills contaminating river systems and the ocean, resulting in dangerously high E. Coli levels. As we approach the festive season, this is a devastating blow to tourism, which is the backbone of the local economy and a major source of employment for our communities.
It is unacceptable that we find ourselves in this situation year after year. The Municipality has failed to address the root causes of these closures, including vandalism, sabotage and unmaintained, decaying infrastructure.
This crisis has been caused by years of corruption, neglect and poor maintenance. The City continues to hide behind excuses, blaming rainwater for weakening infrastructure during the rainy season. The reality is that the infrastructure itself is inadequate and poorly maintained, making it incapable of handling heavy rains. It is clear from documents filed on behalf of the municipality in the pending court cases, that these problems have existed at least since 2013 and cannot be attributed solely to seasonal flooding.
We reiterate that decisive action is needed to repair and upgrade the Municipality’s aging infrastructure. Failing to address these issues not only jeopardizes public health and the environment but also threatens the City’s economic future.
eThekwini cannot afford further declines in tourism numbers, especially during peak periods like the festive season. Every closure of our iconic beaches further erodes our reputation as a world-class destination.
Adding to this frustration is the Municipality’s lack of urgency, even in the face of litigation.
We have been at the forefront of holding the Municipality accountable, with an existing court case to compel action on service delivery and infrastructure failures.
However, while the courts scheduled the DA’s sewer litigation matter to be heard alongside our matter, progress has been delayed due to the DA’s lack of preparedness.
As a result, this legal matter, originally set for December, has now been postponed to February 2025.
We call on the Municipality to prioritise this issue immediately. The cost of inaction is too high – both for the local economy and for the livelihoods of thousands who depend on tourism. This is especially so when the Municipality was given money from treasury to resolve these issues as far back as March 2023. How this money was spent is unknown, but clearly was not utilised for the sewerage crisis.
ActionSA will continue to fight tirelessly to ensure that eThekwini’s residents and visitors are not subjected to such preventable disasters again.
EThekwini Metro Must Take Accountability for Beach Closures – No More Deflection
We are deeply concerned by the closure of beaches in eThekwini Municipality due to sewerage spills contaminating river systems and the ocean, resulting in dangerously high E. Coli levels. As we approach the festive season, this is a devastating blow to tourism, which is the backbone of the local economy and a major source of employment for our communities.
It is unacceptable that we find ourselves in this situation year after year. The Municipality has failed to address the root causes of these closures, including vandalism, sabotage and unmaintained, decaying infrastructure.
This crisis has been caused by years of corruption, neglect and poor maintenance. The City continues to hide behind excuses, blaming rainwater for weakening infrastructure during the rainy season. The reality is that the infrastructure itself is inadequate and poorly maintained, making it incapable of handling heavy rains. It is clear from documents filed on behalf of the municipality in the pending court cases, that these problems have existed at least since 2013 and cannot be attributed solely to seasonal flooding.
We reiterate that decisive action is needed to repair and upgrade the Municipality’s aging infrastructure. Failing to address these issues not only jeopardizes public health and the environment but also threatens the City’s economic future.
eThekwini cannot afford further declines in tourism numbers, especially during peak periods like the festive season. Every closure of our iconic beaches further erodes our reputation as a world-class destination.
Adding to this frustration is the Municipality’s lack of urgency, even in the face of litigation.
We have been at the forefront of holding the Municipality accountable, with an existing court case to compel action on service delivery and infrastructure failures.
However, while the courts scheduled the DA’s sewer litigation matter to be heard alongside our matter, progress has been delayed due to the DA’s lack of preparedness.
As a result, this legal matter, originally set for December, has now been postponed to February 2025.
We call on the Municipality to prioritise this issue immediately. The cost of inaction is too high – both for the local economy and for the livelihoods of thousands who depend on tourism. This is especially so when the Municipality was given money from treasury to resolve these issues as far back as March 2023. How this money was spent is unknown, but clearly was not utilised for the sewerage crisis.
ActionSA will continue to fight tirelessly to ensure that eThekwini’s residents and visitors are not subjected to such preventable disasters again.