The leaning tower of Umdloti

The Umdloti lifeguard tower is an embarrassment for the city and threatens the beach’s pilot blue status.

This is the opinion of Metro councillor Geoff Pullan, who said the dilapidated building near the tidal pool has been an eyesore for residents and tourists alike this year.

“The building is not safe, neither for occupiers nor for people passing by,” he said.

Concern was raised earlier this year about the possibility of the loose glass and aluminum window frames from the top floor falling onto pedestrians, which could lead to serious injuries.

Pullan said the executive committee of Ethekwini municipality recommended during October that the building be demolished and a sum of R300 000 be set aside for the demolition and rubble removal.

So far the loose glass and the aluminium on the top floor have been removed, but the dilapidated building is still standing and in use.

Beach goers are still using what is left of the broken toilets in the female bathroom, as the male toilets have apparently been broken for nearly two weeks.

What is even more shocking is the fact that the lifeguards are still using the building, which is being held up by supporting beams, as they are waiting for the necessary equipment, such as the radios, telephone and lockers to be moved to the little temporary porta-cabin that has been placed next to the cracked tower.

Even when that is done, they will still have to use the mouldy building, as the porta-cabin is too small to take the rubber duck and other life-saving equipment.

The “kitchen” used by the lifeguards has mould growing on the damp walls and paint and plaster peeling off the walls.

“It is a disgrace that the people we rely on to save lives and often risk their safety to help others, are forced to work in such a wretched time bomb,” says Pullan.

It seems that the delay in the demolishing is due to the fact that there is no funding has been set aside to build a new lifeguard tower.

“I have not yet seen an allocation or vote for the new building. I do hope this matter will be resolved sooner rather than later, as we have worked hard to get the pilot blue status and hope to maintain it,” said Pullan.