Lifesavers suspend services at Sardinia Bay
VOLUNTEER lifesavers have suspended their duties at Sardinia Bay in protest against a decision by Nelson Mandela Bay mayor Athol Trollip that their clubhouse be demolished early next year.
Club chairman Andrew Marriott said he could not give too many details at present as club members would first have a meeting with the lifesaver volunteers.
“We will be having a special general meeting very shortly to finalise the way forward,” he said.
“It is possible that we will suspend the club, meaning no duties for the entire season [November to April], but this still needs to be discussed.
“We had a meeting with the mayor and Fernando Cain from the Beach Office on Friday.”
It was the second meeting the club had with Trollip since he took office.
The club’s intention to suspend lifesaving duties for November was confirmed in a letter sent to Cain on Monday.
The award-winning club has provided lifesaving services for the past 40 years.
Earlier this year, the club received notice that their clubhouse was declared dangerous and would be demolished by February 1.
The derelict ski-boat club next to the clubhouse was demolished in August.
The lifesaving club was given a reprieve to discuss their situation with Trollip.
The municipality received the order to demolish the clubhouse and the ski-boat club from the national government as it was found to be too close to the sea and that the buildings were deemed to be dangerous.
In August, acting corporate services head Vuyo Zitumane explained that the order to demolish the building was given in line with legislation to protect the coast.
She said the municipality was worried that members of the public would be injured should the building collapse, and then sue the municipality.
Zitumane said a new area for the lifesavers would be developed in a proposed car park.
The club, however, said the new site was not acceptable as they would be the only club in the world where lifesavers could not see the beach.
It said the only way the proposed clubhouse would work was if the municipality provided watch towers and two-way radios.
Zitumane said the municipality had asked for quotations to build two towers at the beach even though it was not budgeted for.
Municipal spokesman Mthubanzi Mniki did not respond to a request for comment.