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**Durban’s Festive Season: Sun, Sea, and Sewage Concerns Mar Holiday Buzz**
Durban experienced a bustling holiday season this past December and early January, with hundreds of thousands of holidaymakers flocking to KwaZulu-Natal’s beaches from Ballito to Ramsgate. A strong influx of both domestic and international tourists filled hotels, restaurants, and shops across the region, generating nearly R1.9 billion in spending and boosting the local economy. Despite the vibrant atmosphere, the season was shadowed by recurring concerns about water quality and infrastructure issues.
While a majority of beaches remained open for swimming, reports of illness after bathing surfaced, particularly linked to E. Coli contamination. Uvongo Lagoon on the South Coast became a focal point of concern, with one family tragically reporting their toddler needing hospitalization after contracting E. Coli there. Although local officials refuted the claims that some areas were closed, it was revealed that beaches such as Anstey’s Beach and Country Club Beach in Durban remained closed throughout the period. The concerns were further fueled by a video showing mysterious “balls” washing up on shore, initially speculated to be human waste. However, eThekwini Metro authorities stated laboratory tests revealed them to be fat deposits from food establishments, not sewage.
These incidents highlight the ongoing struggle municipalities face in maintaining water treatment infrastructure. eThekwini admitted to flood damage occurring in its waste water treatment works. Despite this, the Metro said that the Northern WWTW is seeing major mechanical and electrical equipment improvements with 90 % effluent quality compliance. The municipality insists flood damage repairs had commenced in December and is committed to rehabilitating water and sanitation infrastructure by the end of the financial year. However, these rehabilitation plans were put into question by complaints of vandalism at the Glenwood Road wastewater treatment works.
Water quality was also a major point of contention along the South Coast. Despite a busy holiday season, some experienced ongoing water outages as well as illegal strikes at Ray Mkonyeni Municipality. Ferrial Adam, from WaterCan, found high levels of E. Coli at Ramsgate’s Blue Lagoon. He expressed concern for the quality of bathing water and said the large amount of sewage flowing into KZN rivers is still a big problem. While the Ugu Municipality insisted beaches were being monitored to ensure their safety, some locals reacted angrily to claims that illnesses were caused by water quality issues. They reasoned that a large number of people were ill before arriving at the coast and were then attributing it to the water quality.
Regardless, the economic impact of the season was undeniable. Hotels reported very high occupancy rates, and retail businesses saw brisk trade. Fishermen and other leisure tourists flocked to the South Coast, particularly after unrest in Mozambique deterred travellers. The South Coast Chamber of Commerce and Industry confirmed it was a “fairly reasonable” season, and several areas reported a “bumper” holiday season.
Even the North Coast was not without its challenges. Kwadukuza Municipality acknowledged that heavy rainfall had introduced “foreign materials” into the sea affecting water quality, advising against bathing until conditions improve despite reporting an excellent season.
In conclusion, while the 2024/2025 holiday season provided much needed economic stimulus to KwaZulu-Natal, the recurring issues of sewage pollution and infrastructure deficiencies cast a long shadow on the festive cheer. The incidents highlighted the urgent need for better maintenance and monitoring of water systems to protect not only the environment but also the health of beachgoers. This is a task that needs addressing before next summer’s holiday rush.
