The KwaDukuza festive season safety programme has once again demonstrated its effectiveness, with no violent incidents reported and one drowning recorded.

The drowning occurred on Saturday, January 4, when 22-year-old Smiso Pasi, visiting from Darnall, lost his life in the Zinkwazi lagoon. The popular recreational spot was not fully monitored by lifeguards, whose primary focus was on the main beach and Black Rock.

The safety initiative in Ballito, now in its sixth year, was a combined effort by the municipality, security companies and civic bodies. Ballito Neighbourhood Watch chair, Morné Steffens, praised the Ballito beach safety initiative in the light of record visitor numbers.

“This has been one of the busiest seasons since we launched the initiative, with extreme heat and the situation in Mozambique contributing to a higher influx of visitors,” he said.

He highlighted that the initiative was a collaborative effort led by the iLembe Chamber of Commerce, the Ballito and Salt Rock neighbourhood watches and Ward 22 councillor representation, in partnership with KwaDukuza municipality’s (KDM) community safety department, the South African Police Service (Saps) and local security companies. Funding comes from local businesses, estates and private donations, with additional support from CPF patrollers.

Safety efforts were focused on the stretch from Thompson’s Bay to Christmas Bay, with manned control points operating from 8am to 8pm on busy days. Roadblocks and search points played a significant role in preventing alcohol from being brought onto the beaches, ensuring there were no major alcohol-related incidents.

He praised the visible commitment of KDM’s community safety directorate. However, he lamented the state in which visitors often left the beaches.

“Every morning, KDM teams had to work tirelessly to clean up and restore the beaches for the day’s visitors.”

The initiative has its roots in addressing historic safety concerns, including the 2016 Blythedale Beach stabbing and the 2020 frustrations in Ballito, which prompted businesses to demand better by-law enforcement.

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