Durban - The eThekwini Municipality has refuted claims that it is unprepared for the festive season, and has fewer- than-required lifeguards on Durban beaches during the busy period.
The municipality has come under fire from ActionSA and the DA after a weekend incident in which three people drowned. The two parties accused the city of not having enough lifeguards to cope with the huge crowds on city beaches, adding that the municipality should shoulder the blame for the deaths of the beachgoers.
ActionSA KZN chairperson Zwakele Mncwango called for an immediate probe into the incident.
Mncwango said: “We believe that the city may have not been well prepared to handle this large influx of people at beaches, and had they been, they would have had more than enough lifeguards and emergency personnel at beaches that are open to ensure public safety,” the ActionSA leader added.
He argued that if the city had prioritised renewing or fixing sewer infrastructure, more beaches would have been opened for public use, which would have drastically decreased the overcrowding. He also called for support to be provided to the families of those who drowned.
“If there is none, we call for the municipality to arrange immediate counselling for family members and those who are emotionally affected by the incident,” said Mncwango, who expressed the party’s sympathies to the affected families.
DA councillor Nicole Bollman said the city hired only 32 seasonal lifeguards out of a total demand of 160.
“The reality is that Durban was never prepared for the influx of visitors, which has resulted in not only overcrowded beaches but also an inability to provide a safe and secure environment for beachgoers.
“If the municipality had addressed the shortfall of lifeguards and given them proper resources, this tragedy may have been avoided or managed better,” said Bollman.
Municipality spokesperson Msawakhe Mayisela said the drownings were tragic and opposition political parties should refrain from using this incident for their gain.
“It is misleading to say that we are not ready. This is not our first time hosting the festive season in Durban. We have a festive season management plan which comprises a lot of departments,” said Mayisela.
He insisted that the city would not be distracted from discharging its duties of ensuring the safety of everyone, including beachgoers, adding that the incident had saddened the city’s leadership.
He maintained that the city has adequate lifeguards who had been preparing for the festive season and other busy periods throughout the year.
Lifesaving KZN chairperson Troy Brown said: “There has to be nine to 15 lifeguards on duty, but it also depends on the number of people swimming. At the time of the incident there were nine lifeguards on duty.
“ It is extremely important that the general public listen to lifeguards at all times,” added Brown.