Nelson Mandela Bay Ward 60 Councillor, Thembinkosi Mafana, ducked the issue on the vandalised ablution block on the Bluewater Bay main swimming beach last night.
At a Community Public meeting in Bluewater Bay last night, it was pointed out to Mafuna that the beach is the jewel in the crown of Bluewater Bay. But this had been spoilt by locked vandalised toilets which had resulted in some beachgoers urinating in public and defecating in the dunes behind the ablution block.
In order to rectify this situation, portable toilets had been brought to the beach – but these were not regularly serviced, leading to a disgusting and unhealthy situation during the peak festive season.
Mafana was asked when something would be done or whether the situation would be unchanged when the Easter holidays came around.
Mafana was clearly annoyed by the question and said there was a budget for the beaches in Ward 60, without committing to have the ablution block repaired and be brought back into service.
Mafana said he had been prevented from inspecting the ablution block earlier in December, without mentioning who had prevented him from doing so. However, he then looked at the President of the Lifesaving Club and said he should take note of that. If he was trying to imply that it was the Club that prevented him from doing so, he was mistaken. The Club has nothing to do with the public ablution block and if Mafana was indeed prevented from undertaking the inspection it would be because the Metro had locked the facility because of the vandalism.
Turning to the sand on the parking area at the swimming beach and on the public road to the Swartkops River Mouth, Mafuna said that could be easily cleared by merely making a call. The road to the river mouth serves the lifesaving club, a residence across the road from the club, public jet ski launching jetty and to a popular beach angling spot. It is also the main entrance for emergency services, the fire department, SAPS Divers and the lifesaving club, etc to respond to water emergencies in the river mouth. This is where pleasure craft frequently flip and get into trouble.
Many residents on local social media will know that getting that road clearing service is not quite as easy as he made it out to be. In the latest case, only little more than a week ago, the Roads & Stormwater Drains Department said they were unable to access the equipment required to clear the road as the accountants had refused to sign the task off.
Roads & Stormwater Drains even tried to assist by asking the Waste Department if they could help but got a negative response. The road was eventually made passable by a private party.
So, as things stand at present, there are no promises on service delivery on either the ablution block or the clearing of the sand.
