The Durban beachfront and harbour areas have long been counted among the city's tourism crown jewels. But in recent days they have developed a “stinking” reputation with repeated instances of raw sewage being discharged into the harbour because of malfunctioning infrastructure.
Image: Leon Lestrade / Independent Newspapers.
Durban’s once-prized harbour has become a foul-smelling health hazard as raw sewage continues to pour into the city’s waterfront. This has sparked outrage from the sailing community and renewed criticism of the eThekwini Municipality over collapsing infrastructure.
A pump station failure sent sewage streaming along Margaret Mncadi Avenue, formerly Victoria Embankment, and into Durban harbour from Monday, with overflows still visible outside the Durban High Court yesterday.
Members of Durban’s sailing fraternity warned that the pollution crisis was destroying marine life and public confidence in the city’s waters, and threatened the future of competitive sailing and youth development programmes.
“We cannot let our beautiful city degrade and collapse,” said Dr Thomas Funke, Rear Commodore of Youth at Point Yacht Club.
Funke said the yacht club was preparing for the 505 KZN Regional Championship next month, which is expected to attract 15 boats, including competitors from Cape Town, but fears over polluted water are overshadowing preparations.
He said the contamination also placed the club’s sailing school for previously disadvantaged children at risk.
“I am deeply saddened by the state of the water entering the harbour. Gone are the days when the marina was a pleasant place to be. We are now faced with a stink that has put so many people off the sport of sailing,” he said.
Funke described the ongoing sewage spills as an environmental disaster and accused the city of allowing critical infrastructure to deteriorate despite Durban’s international reputation as a sailing destination.
He pointed to the successful hosting of the Marriott International Mirror Class World Championships off Durban beach just a year ago, where teams from Australia and the United Kingdom competed.
“They said that this was the best sailing that they have ever had. Our city depends on it. A collapse in infrastructure has led to this, and it is unacceptable,” Funke said.
Sailing enthusiast Sophie Thompson painted a grim picture of conditions in and around the harbour, claiming polluted water from Lavender Creek had turned red from chemicals entering the sewer system.
She said paddlers feared dangerously high concentrations of E. coli in the water, while swimmers and sailors were increasingly avoiding the area because of the stench and contamination.
According to Thompson, years of recurring sewer spills have already pushed some boat owners to leave Durban.
“We had the club's 134th birthday bash, and we all walked over the walkway to an unbearable stench and looked down at this blood red river flowing into the harbour, and out into the ocean. Can you imagine the marine life that has to contend with all of this?” she said.
Durban used to be a contender for major sailing events - the Clipper Round The World Yacht Race, to name one.
"We have put our hand up to host two major World Championships in the near future: the Flying Fifteen Worlds and the Laser Worlds.We were so excited to be receiving loads of visiting sailors, but if we continue to have this problem it will be another nail in the coffin,” she said.
Municipal spokesperson Mandla Nsele said the sewer overflow was caused by technical failures and that technicians were working to restore operations at the Mahatma Gandhi Pump Station.
Nsele said the municipality was attempting to limit the impact on residents, businesses and commuters in the area.
“Two pumps are now fully operational, which is expected to mitigate the overflows and improve conditions in the affected area. Technicians continue to work around the clock to ensure the safe and reliable restoration of the system. The situation will continue to improve as pumping capacity is progressively restored,” he said.