Durban’s tourism hotspots drowning in sewage

21 September 2021

The DA were alerted to sewage once again spilling into Durban Harbour and Wilson’s Wharf, as well as sewage leakages onto Durban’s Golden Mile and Umhlanga beaches.

Two weeks ago a sewage spill witnessed the closure of Battery Beach on Durban’s famous Golden Mile whilst Umhlanga’s beaches suffer a similar fate with reports of raw sewage meandering into these tourism hotspots.

Durban is facing a sewage crisis that is compromising the status of our most prized tourist attractions. These regular unchecked sewage spills have manifold economic, environmental, social and health impacts.

The Blue Flag status of Durban’s Golden Mile Beaches are under threat as E. Coli levels far surpass standards considered safe for human exposure. As these beaches are further degraded, their ability to attract tourists both local and international are likely to diminish. This in turn means that businesses in the area will experience the knock-on effects of decreased clientele, severely impacting local tourism economies that are already under financial strain due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Likewise, as the water quality of Umhlanga’s famous beaches deteriorates so too will it’s ability to attract tourists to the area.

Durban Harbour and Wilson’s Wharf are prime examples of how unchecked environmental pollution has had an impact on local business and tourism numbers. Businesses on Wilson’s Wharf have complained that the severe stench from sewage spilling into the harbour and the associated health risks have chased away clientele. The harbour is a pale shadow of its former glory. The local fisherfolk have also expressed concern over the impact of pollution on marine life in the harbour and their ability to continue to feed themselves and their families.

As the DA, we have and will continue to engage with stakeholders and concerned residents in an effort to ensure that these issues do not continue to fall on deaf ears.

We will be driving a parliamentary petition calling for:

Regular Maintenance of sewage infrastructure: manholes, receiving drains, pump stations, stormwater overflows and screening chambers;

Regular refuse collection by Durban Solid Waste (DSW) at Wilson's Wharf, the Golden Mile and Umhlanga Promenade to avoid overflow of refuse into water-courses;

Increased civic education on the disposal of fat and refuse into stormwater drains;

Street light maintenance at Wilson's Wharf to reduce illegal dumping and to promote the safety of the area;

Illegal Dumping enforcement: erection of no dumping signs and monitoring;

For eThekwini Municipality to foster working relationships with all relevant stakeholders for effective harbour management;

Maintenance and fitment of metal mesh on all ducts leading into the harbour that are used to trap refuse;

Filtration nets to be fitted on all outlet pipes.

The DA call on the Minister of Tourism, Lindiwe Sisulu, to urgently conduct and oversight to affected tourism hotspots in Durban and to meet with officials to initiate a plan to save our local tourism economy from disaster. We are serious about saving livelihoods and preserving our environmental spaces for the enjoyment of present and future generations.

Issued by Hannah Shameema Winkler, DA Member of the Portfolio Committee on Tourism, 21 September 2021