Durban — After years of waiting, oversight visits and media reports, repairs have begun to the Rachel Finlayson pool on the Durban beachfront.
That was according to the eThekwini Municipality on Tuesday night.
“Contractors have started repairing the popular Rachel Finlayson swimming pool on the Durban beachfront following the awarding of the contract this week,” the municipality said.
This was after pictures of Durban beachfront pools circulated on social media.
According to a report on swimming pool operational and capital budgets constraints from earlier this year, the Rachel Finlayson pool required, among others, an upgrade of filtration system, replacement well valve, waterproofing of well, replacement suction line, re-tiling of the main pool floor and repainting of paddling pool, at a cost of R2.5 million.
However, that was a short-term solution to get the facility operational.
Moreover, according to a status update of the pool linked to capital funding, the scope of work included upgrade infiltration, upgrade change rooms and redesigning at a cost of R35m.
Earlier this week, Durban mayor Mxolisi Kaunda said repairs to the pool were imminent following the appointment of a contractor.
He also said that the pool had not been operational for a while, much to the disappointment of residents and visitors, but that this was soon to be a thing of the past.
Kaunda acknowledged the public’s frustration, adding that it was understandable.
“Now that we have appointed a contractor, we can get the pool up and running again. In addition, officials are also finalising the appointment of a contractor to repair the Children’s Amusement Centre pool, also on the beachfront,” Kaunda said.
During the festive season launch, eThekwini Municipality’s deputy city manager: community services and emergency services, Musa Gumede, confirmed to the mayor and the public that they had, at last, agreed on a process that would finalise the rehabilitation of the pool.
Gumede said that a tender was advertised a week ago, for the rehabilitation of the Rachel Finlayson pool. The tender closed on December 1.
He said that it meant that this week, there should be an evaluation of that tender, which would result in the adjudication sometime this month.
Hopefully, if possible, work should start this or next month.
“We anticipate that work should take about two to three months; two months, if pushed, but maybe up to three months,” Gumede said.
“Hopefully, we will find someone who can rehabilitate and be able to finalise this work as early as possible so that the pool can be open as soon as possible. Hopefully, that issue will be sorted soon.”
Kaunda said that in the meantime, the public could use the South Beach paddling pool. The Kings Park indoor and outdoor pools are also working. Across the municipality, 22 other pools are functional. They are: Rainham, Durban North, Pipeline, Tiger Rocks, Anstey's, Westville, Stanmore, Umlazi D, L.T King, Bayview, Arena Park, Alex Bulley, Lamontville, Lahee Park, Ntuzuma, Sutton Park, Tesoriere, Mariannridge, Tills Crescent, Croftdene, Bellair and Umgababa.
Daily News