Sunshine Coast gets nod

The awarding of Blue Flag status to three of Ndlambe’s beaches is something for the community to be proud of. Further recognition came from the Department of Economic Development, Environment and Tourism (DEDEAT), which declared Ndlambe the Greenest Municipality in the Sarah Baartman District. The District Municipality has seven local municipalities. As the SBDM winner, Ndlambe will now compete in the province-wide Greenest Municipality Awards.

In September, Ndlambe presented its work on waste management clean and green initiatives, budgetary support and equipment, green procurement, climate change and energy recovery, awareness and education, monitoring and enforcement mechanisms, waste minimisation and recycling, status of waste disposal facilities, open spaces, recreational and public comfort areas; and the future service standard improvement plan.

The internationally recognised Blue Flag label, according to WESSA which manages it, is intended to promote sustainability in the tourism sector, through environmental education, environmental protection and other sustainable development practices.

“More than 4,500 beaches, marinas and tourism boats are concretely contributing to the sustainable development goals through Blue Flag, which also campaigns against disparity, inequality, unemployment, health threats, and depletion of natural resources, environmental threats, pollution and general environmental degradation,” WESSA says.

Blue Flag status requires that a beach meets 33 criteria across four themes of coastal management: water quality, environmental education and information, environmental management, and safety and services.

While we applaud this achievement, we echo the concerns expressed by the Port Alfred Ratepayers and Residents Association (PARRA – see page 4) regarding the ongoing sewage spills across the town. In addition, we have requested the results of water quality testing conducted at the Waters Meeting weir. This testing Ndlambe said they were doing in light of alarming concerns about sewage contamination from Makana Municipality’s Belmont Valley Wastewater Treatment Works. The facility is barely functional and spills raw sewage into the Bloukrans River, which feeds into the Kowie River.

Congratulations to organisers, the Makana Residents Association, BUCO and everyone else who contributed to the success of the 10th G2C cycle race. Talk of the Town is proud to have been this year’s official media sponsor and we look forward to a continued partnership with the event.