SA beaches stalked by pollution worries

The Durban Bluff's neglected beaches are going to receive a much-needed makeover - 50 years after they were last upgraded. A report in The Mercury notes that last week, the eThekwini Municipality held community meetings on proposed upgrades at the Cuttings, Treasure, Brighton and Anstey's beaches. City spokesperson Thabo Mofokeng said the draft plan aimed to capitalise on the Bluff's potential as a tourism node, which would present opportunities for economic growth. Mofokeng said they did not have a budget as the project was still in the consultation stages. Desmond D'Sa of the South Durban Community Environmental Alliance said they were excited about the environmental aspect to the plans, but concerned that other, more pressing, matters needed attention. D'Sa said he was worried that the development might become another 'white elephant' not attracting tourists because of a lack of a plan to uplift areas surrounding the beaches. Full report in The Mercury (subscription needed)

A shipwreck has had consequences for beaches along Nelson Mandela Bay. Commercial ink cartridges, oil tanks, washing machines, plastic bags and children's toys are just some of the items washing up on shore at Nelson Mandela Bay after more than 20 containers fell from a ship in heavy seas more than a week ago. A report in The Herald quotes Addo Elephant National Park spokesperson Fayroush Ludick as saying: 'The debris has been the cause for concern regarding marine life.' According to the report, the 23 containers fell off the Seroya Lima on 16 November and cleaning efforts started almost immediately after some started washing up along the shoreline. But it has not been smooth sailing for environmental spill response company Xtreme Projects, which has had to battle extreme weather conditions, the report states. Full report in The Herald (subscription needed)

Driven by winds and ocean currents, thousands of plastic and glass bottles, plastic wrappers and cardboard containers have collected at Melkbosstrand along the West Coast. A Cape Times report quotes John Taylor, a member of the Melkbosstrand Ratepayers Association, who said the association was in a 'constant battle' to curb plastic pollution along its beaches. 'A lot of it is swept to sea by the storm water system of Cape Town and bobs around before settling in huge mounds on the beach. Fortunately there are organisations like Beach Clean Up and the Friends of the Blaauwberg Conservation Area who assist with removal on occasion,' Taylor said, according to the report. It notes that negligence and ignorance about proper waste disposal results in more than one ton of rubbish being collected at only 12 city beaches on a monthly basis. Full Cape Times report

A river flowing into the scenic Gordon's Bay in the Western Cape has been found to contain potentially deadly levels of E. coli bacteria, says a Cape Argus report. It has sparked calls from the ANC for City of Cape Town officials to take immediate action and prevent life-threatening infections, especially among people with low immune systems and those living with HIV. The Sir Lowry's River was found on 23 October to have an E. coli count of 130 000 per 100ml at the point where it flows into Gordon's Bay. The test was confirmed by the SA Bureau of Standards. Sir Lowry's Pass Village resident Samuel Coert (53) is quoted in the report as saying: 'Now with more and more people moving in here over the past few years, the toilets can't cope and everything gets dumped in this river. The people here are making this river a toilet.' The City of Cape Town said it was doing what it could to improve conditions in the informal settlement, which including bring in portable toilets, and educating the public about the dangers of unclean water, according to the report. Full Cape Argus report