UPDATE: Willard Beach ready for Ballito Pro

The highly anticipated 50th Ballito Pro presented by Billabong kicks off in just over a week and while work at Willard Beach is progressing swiftly, event organiser Collette Bundy is confident that the beach will be ready on time.

Coinciding with the Courier report on the dismal state of the beach with time running out before the Pro, last week the muncipality sprang into action and began a frenzy of work to get it shipshape.

According to local councilors, the original contractor appointed was not familiar with the tides and beach conditions and as such was not qualified to undertake the work.

This left Willard Beach with a gaping hole which, as it was dug deeper, filled with more water. However, municipal media liaison officer Sipho Mkhize said this was not entirely true.

“Any work on the beaches needs to go through an exhaustive environmental impact process before coming back to council to be debated and budgeted for.

“Projects like this often hit a stumbling block in council as the debate goes on in terms of budgeting, environmental impact etc.”

Mkhize said they had planned on installing geo-containers at the site (large wire “boxes” filled with rocks).

This plan had to be shelved at the last minute and KDM has now laid large sandbags at the site and erected a wooden stairway.

GALLERY: As it happened

This still does not solve the original problem of beach access for emergency vehicles and the like which prompted the project last year, however it does mean the beach is one step closer to being ready. There is another access for emergency crews through Surfer’s Lane.

The large hole on the beach was still there on Tuesday morning, however TLB’s will be brought in to cover the hole with sand and get Willard back to its best.

“The organisers of the Pro have been in touch and they are very happy with the progress being made,” Mkhize said.

He also added that an agreement had been reached between KDM and the Urban Improvement Precinct (UIP) regarding the issue of lights.

“The UIP will temporarily be assisting in street light maintenance throughout Ballito and they will have the lights at Willard Beach running in time for the Pro. Additionally, we will be erecting extra floodlights to make sure the area is properly lit and safe.”

Mkhize said KDM was working 24/7 to make sure the Pro kicked off without a hitch.

Contest organiser Collette Bundy said on Tuesday: “I am satisfied that the beaches will be ready as per our existing plan. All is going according to plan.”

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