By Charmaine Ndlela
The eThekwini Municipality has temporarily closed Umhlanga Main Beach and Bronze Beach following a sewage pump station failure caused by rags and household waste clogging pumps at the Ohlange station.
Municipal spokesperson Gugu Sisilana urged the public to act responsibly, saying: “We strongly urge the public to dispose of waste responsibly. Irresponsible disposal directly undermines sewer infrastructure, disrupts services and negatively affects the environment, resulting in the temporary closure of beaches enjoyed by residents and visitors.”
She said the closure was an urgent precautionary measure, adding that the City had released a video showing workers removing the material that caused the failure.
Sisilana noted that the repair team is still working to clear the blockage.
Despite the temporary closures, 21 beaches remain open and safe for swimming.
The municipality also highlighted its progress over the past two years, stating that 23 bathing beaches have consistently met safe water quality standards.
“This achievement reflects the City’s multimillion-rand investment in restoring and upgrading sewer infrastructure severely damaged by recurring flood disasters in recent years,” Sisilana added.
Councillor Cyril Xaba, in a separate statement, said:
“The DA can’t speak from both sides of the mouth. They are running a misinformation campaign regarding beach water quality results, yet their silence is deafening regarding the money owed to the City by the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure.”
INSIDE METROS