Pennington beach hoists Blue Flag
Pennington Beach has been certified for excellence in safety, amenities, cleanliness and adherence to environmental standards.
As the festive season kicks off, the Pennington community, together with Umdoni Local Municipality, celebrated Pennington Beach‘s Blue Flag status with a grand affair last Friday.
This joyous and memorable flag-hoisting ceremony united municipal officials and local stakeholders and recognised valiant efforts made by all involved in obtaining this historical achievement for the town.
Before the flag hoisting, Umdoni’s speaker Mthandeni Mbutho, acting municipal manager Nhlakanipho Geoffery Kumalo, ward councillor Alan Cutten and mayor Mbali Cele-Luthuli addressed those present and congratulated everyone.
The mayor emphasised the roles Tidy Towns Pennington, Pennington Conservancy, P&G Construction, R&M Construction, Viv Sandwith and beach manager Nomfundo Dlamini had in the achievement of the Blue Flag status.
The Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa’s representative, Lindokuhle Mkhize, also applauded the efforts of roleplayers.
“Tourism is a major contributor to the country’s economy and is important for a number of reasons, which include economic growth, job creation, infrastructure development, preservation of natural and cultural resources, promotion of local culture, to name a few,” she said.
Mkhize added that Umdoni is a popular tourist town which sees an influx of visitors every year. “They choose our town as their home during holiday seasons. The Blue Flag is an indication that the town has much to offer, and this accolade will, therefore, boost the tourism strength of Umdoni.”
Pennington Beach has been certified for excellence in safety, amenities, cleanliness and adherence to environmental standards.
“Your contributions are testimony that you genuinely love and care for this town, and as Umdoni, we are truly grateful. We hope that our relations do not end here, but we continue to work together to attain more achievements.”
Cele-Luthili also called for continued unity and collaboration in building Umdoni to ensure maintenance of this hard-earned Blue Flag for Pennington Beach and work towards converting the current pilot Blue Flag status beaches, Preston, Rocky Bay, Umthalume and Scottburgh to full status.
A moment of silence was also observed for the teen who recently died at the beach, and the community thanked for responding to the call for help during that incident. Lifeguards have since been allocated to this beach.
Stakeholders were grateful to the municipality for honouring this achievement, and they received certificates of appreciation for contributing to the upkeep of the beach.
This event also marked the launch of the festive season as the towns prepare for an influx of visitors.
“As residents, I urge you all to proudly represent Umdoni, extend a warm welcome to our visitors, tell them what our town has to offer and places to visit during their stay here,” said Cele-Luthuli.
She urged motorists to drive with caution, to be mindful of pedestrians and to obey the rules of the road. “We further urge them to practise safety at all times and refrain from drinking and driving. Each and every life matters; let us collectively save lives this festive season by acting responsibly.”
In conclusion, Cele Luthuli added that a mammoth task lies ahead, and collaborative efforts through public/private partnerships will play a significant role in ensuring the municipality is the number one holiday destination for local and international visitors.
The municipality hopes that Umdoni will become the jewel of the South Coast by 2030.
HAVE YOUR SAY
Like the South Coast Herald’s Facebook page, follow us on Twitter and Instagram
