‘Orgy’ sends holiday people packing
More than a dozen people were charged for offences such as being drunk and disorderly, consuming liquor in public, possession of drugs, disturbance and drunken driving.
TOWNSPEOPLE fear that Scottburgh is dead in the water before the festive season even starts if last weekend’s ‘orgy’ of boozing and unchecked all night revellry are allowed to continue.
It seems Durban has put its foot down so taxi loads of partiers merely head further south and invade Scottburgh’s beachfront instead. Here, for some reason, they are confident that they can do as they like.
Hundreds of people partied virtually non-stop between Friday and Sunday, sending locals running home and holiday people packing.
“The beachfront looked like a tsunami had hit it on Saturday morning,” said one irate local who lives across the road.
“There were empty booze bottles all across the lawns, braai area and bottom parking lot. Some people were passed out on the lawns while there were a few who were still drinking.”
The resident said she phoned the police on several occasions and she was just given excuses.
“I did see police vehicles arrive, but they seemed to join in the partying… even drinking in uniform.”
Other people also phoned the Mail to report that they had seen police officers drinking with the party people.
Meanwhile, the SAPS seems to be in total denial.
Police PRO Captain Vincent Pandarum said: “We are unaware of any party on the beachfront nor was it brought to our attention that members (SAPS) were involved in any misconduct.
“The two people who allege that they witnessed members on duty consuming liquor are invited to submit statements and provide any other evidence they may have available to corroborate these allegations.” The matter would then be investigated.
In what some might construe as a contradiction, Captain Pandarum also added: “The Scottburgh SAPS focused on all beach areas at the weekend as part of their festive season plans.
“More than a dozen people were charged for offences such as being drunk and disorderly, consuming liquor in public, possession of drugs, disturbance and drunken driving and even more were warned to keep the peace and conduct themselves appropriately.”
To boom… or not?
Umdoni Council is now wrestling with a dilemma on whether to boom off the beachfront for the festive season. Some say it might just solve the problem of excessive beachfront binges. Others say it will restrict the previously disadvantaged and take us back to apartheid days.
What do you think? Join our Facebook page ‘midsouthcoastmail’ or e-mail editormcm@dbn.caxton.co.za to comment.
