After they were closed on Tuesday because of muddy water as a result of heavy rainfall – which increases the risk of shark attacks – Amanzimtoti Main and Pipeline beaches to the south of Durban reopened yesterday.

KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board spokesperson Wayne Harrison says heavy rains, in some areas over 170mm, caused an inflow of discoloured water into the ocean, with an elevated risk of sharks scavenging closer to the shore.

Gear could also not be serviced due to rough sea conditions and the board took the decision to eliminate the risk of shark attacks by banning swimming as a precautionary measure.

Harrison says that all gear has since been serviced and as of this morning, only Scottburgh is still considered a shark hazard and bathing is thus not permitted. “Lifeguards will monitor the situation and open bathing as soon as conditions allow.”

However, eThekwini Municipality executive committee member and Ward 97 councillor André Beetge says Amanzimtoti Main Beach and Pipeline are the only ones open for swimming between Isipingo and Umgababa. All the others remain closed because of E. coli contamination.

“They will remain closed pending new water-quality test results,” says Beetge.

Harrison says his mandate is to keep swimmers safe, but he cannot comment on beach closures due to water quality.

“We have declared beaches open because the risk of shark attacks has decreased with the servicing of the gear and clearing of flood water in the bays. Water quality is, however, not part of our portfolio.”

The Berea Mail reports the municipality released statistics about incidents that occurred from December 5 – 11 as thousands of local and international holidaymakers make their way to Durban.

• 293 520 beachgoers and 4 744 300 promenade visitors were recorded.
• 14 cases were reported in which children were separated from their parents and later re-united.
• Around 9 152 warnings were issued and nine arrests made for breaking by-laws. Offences included illegal parking, nudity, sleeping on the beach, drinking alcohol in public, bathing in non-bathing areas, fighting, dogs not being leashed, and general disturbance.
• Around 162 charges were registered for unauthorised vehicles parked in disabled parking spaces and for washing vehicles in parking spaces.
• About 22 646 bags of litter were collected during the same period.
• No drownings were reported at local beaches.
• 25 836 members of the public visited municipal swimming pools

The following beaches are open for public swimming:

Point, uShaka, Addington, South Beach, Wedge, North Beach, Bay of Plenty, Anstey’s, Amanzimtoti Main, Pipeline and uMdloti Main.

Bathing at beaches is allowed from 0:600 – 18:30 daily. The public is not allowed to swim at night as beaches are not manned by lifeguards. Toilets and ablution facilities are open from 06:00 – 20:00 on Monday to Thursday, and from 06:00 – 22:00 from Friday to Sunday and on public holidays.