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The DA in eThekwini is not surprised by reports that Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda has refused to take up the DA’s challenge to swim at the uMhlanga Main beach on Friday, 2 December.

The DA had extended this invitation to the Mayor following his announcement that the uMhlanga main beach would be among beaches that would reopen for bathing and inviting tourist to the attraction tomorrow, 01 December.

Subsequent to the announcement and not convinced that water quality could improve literally overnight, the DA task team on the sewage crisis conducted oversight inspections to various pump stations and water treatment plants.

Although there were noted improvements, it would however appear that the city is far from eliminating all sewer outflows into rivers and ultimately the ocean hugging its eastern border by 30 November.

Four sewage outflows were found depositing raw effluent into the Ohlange river that flows into the uMhlanga beaches.

This as a result of the eight-month ongoing non-functionality of the Ohlange pump station which is blocked by sand, silt, fat and other debris.

We also found the Northern Wastewater Treatment Works in Sea Cow Lake, commissioned on Sunday 27 November, operating at only 30% functionality.

While treating new flow into the plant, untreated sewer continues to flow into the uMgeni River and into the sea.

The Mayor’s decision vindicates what the DA has been saying all along: The Municipality's lacklustre approach to the sewer crisis currently engulfing the City and its beaches is insufficient, poses risk to our bathers and has resulted in zero confidence for tourists to step onto our beaches.

We repeat the invitation to our City’s first citizen to put his baggies where his mouth was, lead by example and swim at uMhlanga that he declared safe and open more than a week ago!

Issued by Councillor Thabani Mthethwa - DA eThekwini Caucus Leader