The Durban beachfront and harbour areas have long been counted among the city's tourism crown jewels. But in recent days they have developed a “stinking” reputation with repeated instances of raw sewage being discharged into the harbour because of malfunctioning infrastructure.
Image: Leon Lestrade / Independent Newspapers.
I WAS appalled to hear that Tons of stinking, raw sewage was pouring into Durban Harbour day and night.
This is not a new problem but one that has been occurring for many years, as long as one can remember.
Only this time, the amount of sewage pouring into the bay has reached crisis proportions. How are the fish, crabs and other marine life to survive in this filthy, rotten, stinking polluted bay? How could we be so uncaring?
It is understandable that the pumps would suffer mechanical failure from time to time, and that massive amounts of foreign objects like tyres and debris would clog the pipes and impact the ageing infrastructure that would not be able to handle the sewage outflow produced by the growing urban population.
However, why is the municipality always reactive and not proactive? It has a large maintenance crew.
Why are they not maintaining the ageing infrastructure?
Why wait for the pumps to break down and then belatedly attend to them?
The municipality also has a large environmental department with several highly paid environmental officers. Are they active in their duties or they relaxing in their offices?
Are they visiting communities and schools and educating the public about environmental issues? What are they doing about the piles of rubbish dumped at informal settlements?
Look for instance at the Mexican sunflower growing along the M1 and M7. They may look colourful but they are destroying our indigenous vegetation. Why is the municipality not getting rid of alien vegetation along our highways? The environment not a priority? The raw sewage flowing into the harbour for many, many years not a priority?
There is no consequences for neglected and lethargic work. The municipal staff are protected, not the fish and crabs suffocating in the raw sewage. Some time ago there was an organisation called Keep Durban Beautiful. Now it's become Keep Durban Dirty!
My heart sank when I saw pictures of the raw sewage flowing into the harbour flashed across national TV. The whole nation saw how filthy Durban has become.
I am disgusted. My once beautiful bay has become a cesspool.
THYAGARAJ MARKANDAN
Kloof