The Mayor of the City of uMhlathuze, Mr. Xolani Ngwezi, along with officials from Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA), visited Alkantstrand Beach today to assess the damage and plan a way forward as the holiday season approaches. Richard’s Bay is a popular holiday destination, and it’s essential to address the beach’s current condition.
Alkantstrand Beach has been adversely affected by high tides in recent times, rendering it unusable for swimmers. The sandbags used to protect the beach from the ocean have been washed away by the relentless waves.
Immediate action was required to fill and reinstall sandbags, a process estimated to take approximately two weeks. While the global warming issue has been a major contributor to this situation, Mayor Ngwezi did not place blame on TNPA for being reactive rather than proactive. Instead, he highlighted that the global community had not taken global warming warnings seriously, resulting in the current predicament. The focus now is on finding solutions and making plans for the future.
The City of uMhlathuze and TNPA are working on intervention and prevention plans to address this matter. Other stakeholders have proposed solutions, but financial constraints pose a challenge in implementing them. Despite these challenges, Mayor Ngwezi emphasized that Richard’s Bay remains a favored holiday destination on this side of the Tugela River.
