Head south for KZN’s first nudist beach

Drop your swimming trunks – KZN has its first nudist beach after the Hibiscus Coast Municipality (HCM) granted an application by the KZN Naturist Association to declare a 500m portion of Mpenjati Beach nudist-friendly on Tuesday, 28 October.

Despite opposition to the proposal, the council decided to approve the nudist-friendly beach after months of research and consultation with residents and other stakeholders.

“The municipality considered chapter 2, section 9 (3) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, which provides that “the State may not unfairly discriminate against anyone on one or more grounds…,” said HCM senior manager of communications, Simon Soboyisa, in explaining why the municipality granted the application.

Local residents voiced their concerns that a nudist beach would attract perverts and rapists, and encourage crimes against nudists.

“The municipality considered the fact that the comments from those who were opposed to the application were not based on objective facts, but on subjective opinions and assumptions.

The HCM is a tourist destination and research conducted by the municipality shows that having such a beach has the potential of creating a marketing platform for the Hibiscus Coast to attract national and international tourists, which will result in job creation and economic development.There has been no relaxation of the bylaws on other beaches, only in this portion where section 5.1 and 5.2 of HCM bylaws in regards to beaches will be relaxed.”

Although the application had been approved, it would still be some time before naturists could have their an all-over tan.

“The municipality, together with the applicant, will engage the department of economic development, tourism and environmental affairs and KZN Ezemvelo Wildlife for purposes of coastal access and, once that has been granted, then erection and construction of the necessary infrastructure like signage and ablution facilities will be done. Thereafter the applicant may start using the beach.

There will be no official opening by the municipality, as this was not our initiative, but that of the South African National Naturist Association and KZN Naturist Association as the applicants.

We anticipate that the process may not take more than two months, however we are not sure when this will start.”Chairman of Sapphire Coast Toti Tourism, Jacques van Schalkwyk congratulated the association for receiving approval of its application and wish it good luck in its venture.

“I don’t think it would help tourism in that area anymore then getting the public relations out of it or getting the beach to a Blue Flag status,” said Jacques.

“I also don’t think it will specifically attract national and international visitors. They might visit the beach while here already.”

He doesn’t think Toti will receive any positive or negative spin-off from the approval of the application and remained coy about whether he would visit the nudist beach anytime soon. “I probably won’t. Each to their own,” he said.