The eThekwini Municipality has stated that public safety will remain its top priority, insisting that no Durban beaches will be kept open unless the water quality meets the required safety standards.
The assurance follows the reopening of three Durban beaches that were recently closed due to water pollution, as well as the closure of Laguna Beach from 22 December after safety concerns were identified.
The City provided an update on the status of Durban’s coastline during a media briefing held on Monday at the North Beach Pier.
Durban beaches under close watch
The briefing comes against the backdrop of a recent court ruling that found the municipality had unlawfully reopened several beaches in 2022 despite elevated E. coli levels in the water.
Despite pressure from businesses to keep beaches open during peak tourism periods, eThekwini Mayor Cyril Xaba said, according to EWN, that public health considerations would not be compromised.
“I wish to reiterate that the temporary closure of beaches due to water contamination is both lawful and necessary,” Xaba said.
He added that beach closures are standard practice across municipalities, citing the City of Cape Town’s recent closure of Camps Bay Beach following a raw sewage spill.
With thousands of visitors expected along the coast during the festive season, Xaba said the municipality has intensified its water testing regime.
Testing has now increased from once every two weeks to weekly sampling, allowing for quicker responses when contamination is detected.
The City said beaches will continue to open and close based on test results, and residents and visitors are urged to follow official updates before heading to the coast.
