Clean sea water remains critical to the North Coast retaining a buoyant tourism industry.

Sixty-six percent of visitors to KZN come to experience the provinces beaches, according to a Tourism KZN 2021 report.

Ballito’s clean, well-maintained beaches have set the North Coast apart from nearby Durban, which has faced water quality issues since the devastating 2022 floods. In December 2022, 12 Durban beaches were closed during the festive season, and the following December two Durban beaches were closed due to unacceptable E. coli levels. Ballito beaches in contrast remained open both years.

Tourism contributed more than R6-billion to the gross domestic product of iLembe in 2023. This was revealed as part of a year-long study by the Urban-Econ Development Economists, which was commissioned by Enterprise iLembe to obtain detailed local statistics.

In December alone, almost 120 000 day and overnight visitors made a trip to the North Coast, a 9% increase on 2022. According to the study, the majority of visitors rated iLembe as an excellent or good tourism destination, while over 99% said they felt they got good value for money.

The Ballito Urban Improvement Precinct (UIP) plays a pivotal role in providing regular, independent water quality results, especially to proactively detect the presence of E. coli.
Safe E. coli levels ideally range from 0 to 130 counts per 100 ml, while poor and critical levels range between 200 to 400 counts per 100 ml, indicating the beaches should not be used for swimming.

Weekly samples are taken from eight North Coast beaches, including Ballito’s Willard, Thompson’s Bay and Clarke Bay beaches, along with four tidal pools. The results are categorised into four levels – ideal and acceptable which are safe for swimming, while critical and exceeding detection limits pose health risks.

Since the Ballito UIP’s testing began in March 2022, Ballito beaches have largely remained within the safe range. One sample collected on October 22 revealed that Willard, Clarke Bay, and Salmon Bay beaches were in the critical range, however, with factors such as heavy rains or changing sea currents possibly contributing to an increase in E. coli levels. This was only temporary as results released a week later on October 29 indicated that all beaches were again in the safe bathing zone.

“Our team is dedicated to ensuring a safe and enjoyable beach experience. Along with regular water quality testing to keep beachgoers informed, we also focus on beach cleaning and maintenance. While environmental factors like weather and infrastructure can affect water results, our ongoing efforts are all about creating a clean, welcoming coastline for everyone to enjoy,” said Ballito UIP precinct manager, Thierry Leclezio.

According to the Ballito UIP, tests are aimed at establishing overall trends rather than providing real-time data.

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