Be responsible and keep the beach clean this holiday
As we convene with family and friends at the public beaches and pools, do your part by keeping the areas you use clean and free from litter.
Visiting the beach is a tradition for many people around South Africa. Even KZNers, who are sometimes guilty of not using the beach throughout the year, make an effort to visit around the festive season.
Our Durban beaches have been inundated with thousands of bathers since early December. It has been exciting to see but also a bit concerning. With large crowds of bathers comes lost kids and possible drownings, most especially when you find bathers engaging in the consumption of alcohol.
Check out the video below that shows how busy Durban South Beach was recently - courtesy of TikTok.
@khanyamajola8200 #SAMA28 #sama28tiktok🇿🇦 #southafricatiktok #southafricatiktok🇿🇦 #fypviral #fypviralシ #fypviralシviral #durban #southbeach #pageforyou_🔥 #mzansitiktok🇿🇦 ♬ Shona Phansi - BlaqShandis
As you can see, the beaches are packed to capacity, and people are in full holiday mode.
We can understand that having fun is a prerequisite during the holidays, but that doesn't mean we have to abuse our environment and leave the beaches in a state of pollution. We came across another video that showed the aftermath of the daily visitors enjoying the beach.
It was both disheartening and disappointing, to say the least.
Check out the video below - courtesy of TikTok.
@thesanctuary777 Durban is a dump now.
♬ original sound - Sanctuary
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We have some tips on how you can play your part and keep our beaches clean this festive season.
- Carry a refuse bag during your visit and ensure everyone from your family uses it.
- Before leaving the beach, ensure you have picked up after yourself and don't leave anything behind. Dispose of the refuse bag in the municipal bins.
- Reuse plastic bottles, containers, plates, and utensils to reduce the amount of waste from your visit.
- If you smoke, dispose of your cigarette butts responsibly.
- Be a responsible community member; if you see trash around you, pick it up and do your part for the environment.
- Respect marine life. Remember that you are sharing space with them and that whatever trash you leave behind may be hazardous to their well-being and the environment.
- Avoid using balloons at the beach; these are harmful to marine life.
Image Courtesy of TikTok