‘Black’ toxins pollute Isipingo Beach in KZN

The fate of Isipingo beach-goers hangs in the balance following various complaints from residents regarding river pollution, Rising Sun Chatsworth reports.

Among the complaints, beach-goers say they are greeted by black toxins and a bad odour. The lagoon is also polluted with murky toxins but it has started to clear.

Concerned resident of the Isipingo Beach area, Shaun Pillay, said the river pollution increases the blockage and when this happens, water builds up and causes flooding.

He urged residents and businesses in the area to stop dumping in the river.

“We are also calling the municipality to get the area clean as it is a health hazard. They need to keep the river clean and allow natural flow,” he explained.

According to Pillay, children also play in the river water which is extremely unhygienic.

The same water leads into Isipingo Beach where thousands of people visit during the festive period. Churches also use this beach for baptisms.

“On a few occasions, the big factories that were polluting the river were caught, but I didn’t see any action taken against them, it stopped for a while and continued,” Pillay said.

Co-ordinator of South Durban Community Environmental Alliance (SDCEA), Desmond D’Sa said he contacted the relevant departments on numerous occasions and received no joy.

He said, “The matter needs to be attended to urgently to prevent further damages.”

According to D’Sa, the Isipingo river continues to be highly polluted with toxic chemicals or sewerage dumped from sewer works.

“We are concerned by the health risk as the chemicals and sewer dumped can create illnesses such as meningitis, typhoid, hepatitis, cholera, bacillary, dysentery, pneumonia, rashes, ear infection and other more dangerous diseases. The nearby residents of the informal settlements are forced to use this water because government has failed to provide clean running water to all its citizens resulting in children sick and sometime dying because of the polluted river they are forced to use for washing clothing and cooking food,” he continued.

D’Sa added that many of the rivers that enter the Indian ocean are dying from the toxic and sewerage vermin with everyone including government turning a blind eye to these atrocities against the planet.

“Those responsible for the pollution are not prosecuted and get away with murder. Municipal offices are reluctant to prosecute and continue to provide permits to allow the leachate and trash to fill up our rivers and oceans,” he concluded.