Paddlers reluctant to row in uMngeni River

THE recent sewage spills into the lower uMngeni River has raised concerns for paddlers who say the health of the river does not only affect the sporting and recreational activities on the river, but the marine and bird life too.

The paddlers also claimed that the sewage leaks are happening on a continuous basis, and appear to be getting worse.

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Steve Cohen, who has been a paddler for 20 years, and is the founder of the Durbanites against Plastic Pollution, an advocacy group that tries to find solutions to plastic waste and other pollution problems in the city, spoke to Northglen News about the issue.

“The water quality of the uMngeni River has steadily declined over the years and it faces a dual pollution problem which is plastic pollution in the catchment, and sewage. It’s now reached crisis proportions to the extent that there is visible sewage in the river, and you can also smell it,” he said.

Cohen added that, as a paddler, he sees sewage, condoms, sanitary pads and plastic sticks from earbuds floating along the river.

“It’s become a health threat. There have been reports of people getting sick after being in the river. It’s important to note that this is an estuary so it’s a nursery for many marine fish and has an abundance of bird life. It should be the jewel in the crown of Durban,” he said.
He added that it was not only, but subsistence and recreational fisherman who also make use of the river.

“There are children who are learning to paddle and they often fall into the water, so they could become sick. About 100 paddlers use this river on a weekly basis. There’s also a group of elite paddlers, who race on a global stage, that use the river to train,” said Cohen.