On Saturday afternoon a mysterious mix of brown sludge and masses of dead cuttlefish began to wash up along the Dolphin Coast coastline.

On Friday morning Ballito residents noticed what looked like dirty river water laced with a yellowy foam sitting beyond the breakers. Strong winds over the weekend carried the sludge and dead fish to shore, reaching peak deposits on Sunday morning with dead small fish and squid also washing up. This morning the waves were mud brown and brownish-yellowy foam was still washing up onto the shore, leaving lines of debris and slimy foam.

KZN Wildlife is busy investigating the cause of the dead fish and the dirty water. No definite cause has been established yet, however there is speculation that the brown water might be a result of sewage spillage and the dead cuttlefish due to a combination of climate change and water contamination.

We will keep you updated.