THE subject of taxi loads of revellers ‘invading’ our normally placid beaches along the South Coast at this festive time of year is always a hot potato.
Certain organisations jump up and down and stir up a tsunami of bad publicity for the cops – SAPS and municipal – for allegedly turning a blind eye to the all-night drunken debauchery in public places.
There is, of course, damning video evidence that this is true, backed up by stills of empty and broken booze bottles littering the picnic spots when the family crowds arrive the next day with their umbrellas and beach chairs for some fun in the sun.
Many play the race card, of course, but let’s not go there. That sort of thinking from any side will not help to solve the dilemma.
Here’s the rub: boozy binges in public places are illegal, no matter who you are, but there is obviously a desire by many for beach parties and why not? It’s fun.
So, they will continue to take place with the party people, safe in the knowledge that a handful of police officers are hopelessly outnumbered, and it’s safer for them to monitor the situation at a distance.
Let’s face it, a beach party hardly warrants the SAPS sending in the Casspirs (like those horrid days-of-old) to arrest scores of people merely because they are having a good time.
Closing off the beachfront with a boom gate and making people pay to enter smacks of discrimination, no matter how one tries to spin it.
Perhaps the powers that be at Umdoni and Hibiscus Coast municipalities should rather think in the reverse.
Designate areas on the beachfront where the party people like to frequent, cordon them off to the ‘innocents’ on party nights, and provide more dustbins, braai facilities, shelters. And maintain the ablution facilities.
Then put up a BIG sign that says:
* You are welcome to party HERE to your heart’s content;
* But we beg you to be responsible;
* No booze outside this demarcated area;
* Please use the dustbins provided;
* Keep the music down to a respectable level, especially late at night;
* Look after this spot as if it is your own… because it really IS!
Surely this is worth a try as the alternative will continue to breed also sorts of conflict.
