Shark nets stalemate – swim at your own risk

An ongoing strike has left most KZN  beaches without shark nets and threatens to disrupt the coming holiday season.

KZN Sharks Board staff are striking for better salaries and have refused to put sharks nets in place since mid-August.

Mike Anderson Reed of the Sharks Board said they were looking into opening more beaches over season.

“At the moment on the North Coast, Willard Beach and Umhlanga main beach have shark nets in place. We are looking at spreading the coverage to certain other beaches in time for the big holiday influx.”

Reed said they had limited staff at the moment to get the nets out.

KwaDukuza lifeguard supervisor Bongani Xulu said beachgoers were welcome to swim – but at their own risk.

“Lifeguards are at the beach in an advisory role, not as police. They can advise you that a swimming beach is ‘closed’ but you are still allowed to enter the water at your own risk.”

Gill Birch, who lives at Thompson’s Bay, said she was concerned that visitors would stay away if the nets were not in place.

“The strike has been going on for nearly two months now,” she said.

Also read: The facts and figures behind shark nets in KZN

A representative of the South African Liberated Public Sector Workers Union (SALIPSWU), Mxolisi Cekwayo said the strike was ongoing as management were not prepared to budge on the minimum wage issue.

“At the moment, the lowest paid staff receive R6 100 per month, we are demanding they receive at least R10 000,” he said.

Adding fuel to the fire are the recent deaths of two Sharks Board employees when the boat they were on capsized – leading to calls from the union for improved safety and working conditions. A third man is still missing.

“There will be no shark nets and thus no protected beaches until management starts to take our demands seriously.”

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