We are fast approaching that time of year when scores of holidaymakers from inland and summer chasers from December winter locations abroad pack up and make their way to the SA coast for the festive season.
As always, Nelson Mandela Bay with its idyllic beaches, warm water and long stretches of golden sand will be one of the holiday hotspots — but what will beach lovers find this summer?
Residents have questioned the city’s readiness for the influx of holidaymakers expected to hit Gqeberha’s shores in coming weeks, with even the metro’s Blue Flag beaches coming under fire.
Beachfront walkways in a state of disrepair, derelict ablutions due to theft and vandalism, lifeguard towers battered and destroyed by the elements and popular beaches left nearly inaccessible after waves covered the sand with rocks, are just some of the red flags residents have raised.
A walkway near the popular Hobie Beach — one of the Bay’s biggest tourism hubs boasting access to eateries and shopping — has collapsed due to unusually high tides battering a retaining wall in recent months, leaving benches in precarious positions.
Most of the lights along the same path have been stripped of their electrical wiring, leaving the walkway in total darkness at night.
At nearby Pollok Beach, a long stretch of sand has been covered in large rocks that washed up from the surf, making it difficult for beachgoers to find a spot to throw out a towel or plant an umbrella.
Ward 2 councillor Sean Tappan said these issues had been brought to the municipality’s attention, and while there were plans to rectify some of the problems, not all of them would be resolved by the time the holidays came around.
Further down the coastline, Brighton Beach and St George’s Strand seem nowhere near ready to welcome visitors, thanks in part to vandals who have stripped ablution facilities.
Municipal spokesperson Sithembiso Soyaya said all the issues in question were receiving attention.
But as much as it is the municipality’s responsibility to ensure are beaches are well-kept, we also each have a role to play in the upkeep of our beautiful facilities.
Just imagine, for instance, if each one of us took responsibility for our own rubbish.
So we hope the municipality will be able to do enough to convince holidaymakers this season to return next season.
In the meantime, let us do our part to maintain the standard of our beaches and surrounding facilities.
HeraldLIVE
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