Pool revamp still at the deep end
Two years and R4.2m later bathers are still waiting to use the facility
FANCY a swim in Rachel Finlayson swimming pool? Well, you may have to wait another year or more for the completion of the R4.2million renovations.
The North Beach, Durban, pool closed two years ago.
Last year, a R4.2m tender was awarded for retiling. But it remains closed and there is no indication of any progress.
Previously, City Watch reported that part of the revamp included changing the tiles after swimmers claimed that the dark tiles would be a safety concern for dark-skinned people if they got into difficulties when swimming under the water.
At that time, the city confirmed that the upgrade was to cut high filtration costs as well as to meet health and safety considerations.
City Watch approached the ethekwini Municipality for updates on the state of the pool and the renovations.
Spokesperson Tozi Mthethwa said: “The work on the pool was halted to allow the city the appropriate time to procure a finishing contract within this financial year.”
She would not disclose how much the city was planning to set aside for the completion of the project.
However, the pool’s condition – and the length of time the revamp is taking – has provoked outrage from residents as well as users.
They hoped the upgrades would improve the beachfront as a tourism destination and that it would meet the safety requirements for all users.
It was not clear why the previous contractor could not finish the work.
Zalom Builders and Civic Works was awarded the tender in June.
The main work on the project was to change the colour of the tiles from dark blue to light blue.
The project was expected to finish in February, but it has yet to be completed.
The contractors would also look at the flooring and walls of the pool as well as other maintenance problems.
A South Beach resident, Thandazani Mvelase said it seemed the municipality had no proper plan to finish the project which had already cost the taxpayers millions of rand.
“No wonder the city could not host the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
“There are a lot of irregularities within our country and this is a simple example.
“It is one of the biggest public pools and located in the favourite destination for local and international visitors yet the municipality is failing to get it back to working condition,” said Mvelase.
Community activist Michel Apelt said if the municipality had listened to public opinions in the first place, this would not have happened.
“The investigators had inspected the site in 2010 and submitted a report to the council, which was ‘swept under the carpet’.”
Another beachgoer, Santi Naicker, called the revamp “messed up”.
He said it was good that the city was righting its wrongs, but did not agree with the price tag attached.
“The view from the coastal hotels is not good. The municipality will have to speed the process up to keep our city right at the top as the best city in Africa,” said Naicker.