Easter holiday bliss on the Coast

Thousands of people flocked to the Dolphin Coast for the long weekend, enjoying an Easter of entertainment, beach visits and perfect weather.

Umvoti Toll Plaza saw a total of 25 291 motorists from last Thursday to Sunday, with 13 373 people travelling south toward Durban and 11 9880 travelling north.

Traffic flow at the Tongaat Plaza showed 17 109 motorists heading to the coast on Monday and 14 334 cars on Sunday. On Monday there were 1500 cars per hour travelling to Durban.

Although most Ballito holiday accommodation facilities were nearly full during the long weekend, some say previous years have been better.

Gallery: Hoppin’ Easter fun

Ballito Accommodation’s Christine Grobler said their bookings were at about 90 per cent, with many visitors cutting their holiday short.

“Most people are coming to Ballito for about three days and not for the full five days, the way they usually do.

“It is evident that people are tightening their belts.”

Cyberview Holiday Lettings manager Inus van Schalkwyk said their agency saw a five percent drop compared to last year’s Easter bookings.

“We had a 90 percent occupancy but we were not as full as last year. Ballito is still a popular holiday destination and we see a lot of people book during off-peak seasons as well.”

KwaDukuza beaches were embraced by holidaymakers and locals with thousands of beachgoers delighting in the calm waters.

KwaDukuza lifeguard supervisor Bongani Xulu, said they had upped their game this year and as a result, there were no major incidents.

“We have 26 permanent lifeguards and we hired another 26 temporary lifeguards. The temps are with us from December until the Easter holiday.

“I am happy to say that from Zinkwazi to Ballito, we had a fantastic Easter weekend with no major issues on the beach aside for an emergency rescue on Sunday which was handled very well with no serious injuries.”

Ballito drivers were reportedly on their best behaviour over the Easter weekend according to KwaDukuza superintendent Derick Mgenge, who had been operating local roadblocks.

There was only one arrest when a driver produced the wrong licence.

“We have not had any drunk drivers which was wonderful, however, we were shocked that drivers do not carry their licence and think it is okay to quickly pop to the shop without it. In general, the most common problem is people talking on their cell phones while driving and not wearing their seatbelts,” said Mgenge

Busy and full of fun activities, Ballito malls were at the forefront of entertainment offering activities for people of all ages. Lifestyle Centre marketing manager Tessa Woodley said the centre’s new additions and revamp was well received by visitors.

“We had a great weekend with customers loving the Foodies Market, live music and kiddies activities. The car park was packed, the vibe excellent and we are delighted to report that the revamp of Lifestyle Centre and our new artisanal store offerings has been very well received and supported by both the local community and holidaymakers alike.”

Recently celebrating their first birthday, the Ballito Junction Regional Mall attracted more than 185 000 people over the weekend.

“March was our second busiest month after December and the long weekend certainly added to that.

“We saw a lot of tourists and locals. Aside from entertainment, it looked as though many people took advantage of the long weekend, getting most of their shopping done. There were lots of general shopping and restaurants were really busy. Overall, we had a great Easter weekend with amazing trade,” said Ballito Junction spokesperson Kathryn Payton.

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