TONGA – The Nkomazi Local Municipality (NLM) has expressed disapproval of local community members using the Nkomazi River for recreational purposes.
This came to light on Tuesday, after the municipality learnt that youngsters of this community were using it as a swimming pool.
This is the same river that was responsible for washing away three vehicles on the low-level bridge, resulting in the death of a traffic official and the disappearance of another.
Community members have removed the boulders which were put up by the municipality to limit vehicle access across the bridge.
Spokesman for NLM, Mr Cyril Ripinga has said despite the threat posed by the water which can become violent without warning, people should respect the river out of respect for the official who died.
“We are shocked that people have no respect for death of the man who died trying to save someone from this very river.
“We would not like a repeat of what we saw early this year, or another life lost in
this river. We request community members and youngsters not to use it or any other as a swimming pool.
“An unseen threat which exists with this river and others, is that, they could become violent without warning, because as the dam fills, a certain volume is released and without warning one could find oneself swept away by a strong current,” Ripinga told Corridor Gazette.
The lack of a public pool was outlined as the main reason many youngsters gathered to swim in the river, despite affordable rates at lodges which own safe pools.
“It is very hot these days and what other way can we cool down in this heat? There are no public swimming pools and we cannot afford to pay to swim at the lodges,” said Zinzile Ngomane, who enjoyed dipping her feet into the river last Friday.
NLM is considering preventing people in other communities such as Schoemansdal from turning unsupervised rivers and their banks into recreational and social areas.
“We ask parents to discourage their children from swimming in rivers, and youngsters to consider their own safety and that of others, because not everyone knows how to swim and a river is not the place for learning how to do it,” Ripinga concluded.
