Nude beach objection submitted
The group has requested to make a presentation to council.
A FORMAL request has been submitted to the Hibiscus Coast Municipality council to reconsider approving the naturist beach planned for north of Mpenjati.
‘The Concerned Citizens of HCM’, a group of pastors and community leaders, which represents the broader community, has sent an appeal to council to reconsider its decision.
The group believes that the municipality’s decision was based on inaccurate and misleading research motivated by the KwaZulu-Natal Naturist Association.
Objections on the submitted document were based on moral and ethical grounds, legal issues, environmental issues, social/cultural issues and economic issues.
Over the past months the group has engaged with the municipality on several public platforms and was given an open door to lodge its concerns to HCM officials, who suggested that a formal objection should be made to council.
Reverend Mike Effanga said he was not happy with the information in the media which suggested that people were allowed to use the nudist beach because the by-laws had been relaxed.
“It is still unlawful to use the area as a naturist friendly one. There has not been a final approval for people to be naked on the beach,” he said.
“Our understanding, derived from our engagement with HCM and the media report, was that council’s conditional approval of this matter was to await the outcome of submissions made to the Department of Environmental Affairs and Ezimvelo KwaZulu-Natal Wildlife, and this would preceed any finality on the nudist application,” said Rev Mike Effanga.
The group has also requested that the matter be discussed at HCM’s first council meeting and has requested to make a presentation to council as to why it should reconsider its decision.
