Durban counts cost of Blue Flag loss

DURBAN’S tourism industry is counting the cost of the loss of Blue Flag status for its beaches, however, tourism players along the coast north and south of the city have been quick to cash in on Durban’s decline with a renewed emphasis on their safe and clean beaches.

Local authorities report a number of spin-offs from being awarded Blue Flag status, including an increase in visitors, improved behaviour on the part of beach-goers, a rise in property prices for homes near Blue Flag beaches and visitors enjoying a well cared-for and managed beach.

In 2004 Durban’s municipality welcomed the award of two flags and six pilot flags with huge celebrations, saying the award was an international recognition of Durban’s high quality standards. A statement from the council said: “If we need any confirmation that our beaches are great, this is it. We are proud of our beaches, of our natural heritage and we are just as committed to preserving them. This is a great accolade!” 

This was very different to the reaction when Durban learned it had been stripped of its Blue Flag status this year because of the deterioration of the beaches. City manager, Mike Sutcliffe, accused the Blue Flag programme of creating “apartheid beaches”. “The Blue Flag team has, through its actions, created two categories of beaches, much like apartheid having black and white beaches. The majority of people here don’t go to the Blue Flag beaches,” he said.  

Blue Flag status was stripped from Durban beaches because of reported sewage-related pollution on the beachfront and the poor maintenance of amenities. However, resorts outside of the Metro have been quick to capitalise on Durban’s loss, with Margate and Ballito upping the profile of their Blue Flag status.

SATSA and Fedhasa role players have expressed alarm at the loss of the beaches’ Blue Flag status, saying that an internal monitoring system does not carry the same marketing value as an international set of standards.

Meanwhile, beaches along the KZN coastline have declared a transparency policy that will regularly publish water test results.

All 26 beaches that fall under the municipality’s management will have posted water results as well as a litter index that will indicate the cleanliness of the beach. Sandford increases restaurant capacity SANDFORD Park Country Hotel in the Drakensberg has increased its restaurant capacity from 60 people to 120 people. The restaurant can be divided into four smaller sections for private functions and includes a smoking section.