THERE are no immediate plans for the eThekwini Municipality to return to the Blue Flag Programme with the City still working on rehabilitating the seaside following the recent devastating floods which wreaked havoc on municipal infrastructure and poured waste into the ocean.

The acting Deputy City Manager Musa Gumede said eThekwini took the decision to step away from the internationally recognised programme a few years ago. He was addressing the media during the mayor’s 100 days of office address at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Thursday (October 24).

Also Read: Durban beaches lose out on Blue Flag status

He said, “As the City, we decided to pull out of the Blue Flag Programme a few years ago. At that point, it was after the floods that we realised that the infrastructure was damaged and that it would take a while for it to be rehabilitated. We took a conscious decision to pull out of the programme, and we got a lot of flack for doing that.

“But now, we have put in place a programme to rehabilitate all the infrastructure. In the north, it is coming up well, and it is clear as well as in central. The uMngeni River, which is the major source of pollution to the sea, is being dealt with, and Isipingo is another concern. Once we are clear and meet all the requirements of the Blue Flag Programme, then we will apply to join once again, but we cannot do it now while we know we still have challenges.”

Also Read: Scientists discover critical E. coli levels at Durban beaches

eThekwini mayor Councillor Cyril Xaba said that 20 out of 23 beaches are open to the public going into the festive season. The confirmation was welcomed by the Federation of Hospitality Asso­ciations of South Africa (Fedhasa), which urged the municipality to prioritise regaining its beaches’ Blue Flag status to boost tourism which the organisations say has dropped by 80% among international visitors coming to KwaZulu-Natal.

“If you are in a seaside town and then it rains, it’s going to muddy the waters. We need to speed up the cleaning process so that Durban has clean beaches for tourists to enjoy. The key priority is regaining Blue Flag status for beaches, an internationally recognised certification crucial for attracting overseas visitors. This involves comprehensive infrastructure improvements and more efficient water-quality monitoring systems. The domestic bookings for December show promising signs of recovery, despite the significant lag in international visitors across KwaZulu-Natal,” said Fedhasa’s East Coast chairperson, Brett Tungay.

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