In December, DA-affiliated ward councillors handed over a petition to Buffalo City Metro urging that local bylaws be upheld at beaches.
The call was for increased visibility of BCM law enforcement and the SAPS; maintenance and repair of sewerage infrastructure causing spills into rivers and estuaries; and increased resources and support for lifeguards.
Councillor Sue Bentley said: “Within one week we were able to garner over 1,000 signatures in the petition. People feel very strongly about the beach situation, especially drinking on beaches.
“It is not acceptable as young families should be able to enjoy the beach without their children being exposed to drunkenness, anti-social behaviour and filth.
“A petition places a responsibility on BCM to listen to the voices of residents and to take the issues raised seriously.
“Combating drinking on the beaches will be difficult this year because the problem has been allowed to become untenable due to a lack of effective law enforcement for many years but BCM has to start somewhere to claw back control.”
The petition calls on the SAPS to patrol beaches and perform searches to confiscate liquor.
The petition also draws attention to civic responsibility to keep beaches free of litter.
It also called for security and maintenance of ablution facilities due to vandalism.
Ward 18 councillor Jason McDowell said: “Nahoon River is totally sewage-filled and that is one of the many reasons we won’t get blue flag status.
“There is a sewer line along the Turdy River that has become difficult to access as BCM failed to clear the bush along the line.
“Whenever there is a sewage leak the municipality does not know where the line is leaking and cannot go in to repair it.” During December, the municipality made some inroads in clearing the bush along the line, however, access to the line remains difficult and the infrastructure is old and the pipes are prone to bursts.
Owner of Jonginenge Eco-Adventure at the Nahoon Lifesavers shack, Dean Knox, said poor beach management, especially sewage leaks, hindered their operations, which was a loss to the metro as Jonginenge contributed to local and international tourism.
With help from surfers, residents and business people, he has formed the Friends of the Turdy River (FROT) who walk along the sewer line to spot any leaks, which they then report to BCM.
