Durban mayor Kaunda ‘refuses to swim’ – DA
THE DA’S ethekwini caucus leader Thabani Mthethwa said mayor Mxolisi Kaunda has refused to swim at a beach he said was safe for reopening.
He said the DA in the city was not surprised by reports that Kaunda had refused to take up the party’s challenge to swim at umhlanga Main beach tomorrow.
Mthethwa said the DA had extended this invitation to the mayor following his announcement that umhlanga main beach would be among the beaches that would reopen for bathing and inviting tourists to the attraction today.
“Subsequent to the announcement, and not convinced that water quality could improve literally overnight, the DA task team on the sewage crisis conducted oversight inspections at various pump stations and water treatment plants,” Mthethwa said.
“Although there were noted improvements, it would appear the city is far from eliminating all sewer outflows into rivers and ultimately the ocean hugging its eastern border by November 30.”
Mthethwa said four sewage outflows were found depositing raw effluent into the Ohlange River that flows onto the umhlanga beaches.
He said it was because of the eight-month ongoing non-functionality of the Ohlange pump station which is blocked by sand, silt, fat and other debris.
Mthethwa also said they found the Northern Wastewater Treatment Works in Sea Cow Lake, commissioned on Sunday, November 27, operating at only 30% functionality.
While treating new flow into the plant, untreated sewage continued to flow into the umngeni River and into the sea, he said.
“The mayor’s decision vindicates what the DA has been saying all along: the municipality’s lacklustre approach to the sewer crisis engulfing the city and its beaches is insufficient, poses risk to our bathers and has resulted in zero confidence for tourists to step onto our beaches,” Mthethwa said.
“We repeat the invitation to our city’s first citizen to put his baggies where his mouth is, lead by example and swim at umhlanga that he declared safe and open more than a week ago!”
On Monday, the ethekwini municipality said it has opened additional beaches and swimming pools.
Municipal spokesperson Msawakhe Mayisela said the municipality decided to open additional beaches following improvements in water quality.