Beaches closed until further notice
The public will be kept informed of new developments.
All South Coast beaches are currently closed due to various safety reasons.
According to Nomusa Zulu, acting spokesperson of Ray Nkonyeni Municipality, the coast has experienced heavy rains, both coastal and inland, causing all rivers to flood.
“This fresh water entering the sea brings with it an abundance of dead fish, animal carcasses and more for the scavenging species of sharks to prey upon, thus elevating the risk of bathing at these times,” she said.
Also, Zulu said a large easterly swell generated far offshore has been running consistently for about a week and caused strong currents along the shoreline, especially in the bays.
“These currents have caused the safety nets to become unstable and loose due to the strength of the swell,” she said.
In places near river mouths, debris and trees floating at sea have damaged nets in the process.
She said the weather and sea conditions are expected to improve before the weekend, and limited beaches should be able to open for bathing.
However, Zulu emphasised that this is dependent on the sea conditions.
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