With the festive season fast approaching, coastal municipalities across the Eastern Cape are stepping up safety measures at its popular beaches.
Buffalo City Metro spokesperson Bongani Fuzile said all 12 of its swimming beaches were ready to welcome holidaymakers.
He said the city would deploy 35 seasonal lifeguards in addition to the 20 permanent lifeguards already employed.
The metro would also have seasonal marshals at beach access points and car parks to manage entry, traffic flow and crowd control.
There would also be extra seasonal cleaners to keep beaches “clean and welcoming, with cleaning shifts running from early morning until sunset”.
A combined safety cluster operational team, which includes law enforcement, disaster management, SAPS and other key stakeholders, would co-ordinate safety efforts, manage the influx of visitors and enforce municipal bylaws.
“Buffalo City Metro has one jetski and one inflatable rescue boat on standby for beach operations,” Fuzile said.
“Each of our beaches is also equipped with rescue buoys and rescue boards to assist in emergencies.
“We have three beach wheelchairs available, which are not part of our rescue equipment but are provided to ensure beach access for people with disabilities.
“Buffalo City is committed to ensuring that everyone who visits our beaches has a safe, enjoyable and memorable experience this festive season.”
The metro’s environmental and coastal management teams were monitoring any potential whale wash-ups.
“Beaches remain open, and safety measures are in place.
“Should any risk to beachgoers arise, appropriate precautions or temporary closures will be implemented.”
The East London Surf and Lifesaving Club’s Duncan Boyd, who is also Lifesaving SA’s regional chief examiner for the border area, said the club usually had about eight lifeguards stationed at Nahoon Beach over weekends as well as the metro’s crew.
“The club and the municipality try to work together … during the season the rips aren’t as easy to spot and people tend to get into them more easily.
“I encourage more people to join lifesaving. It’s a healthy lifestyle and you learn a lot about safety.”
In Port St Johns, where beaches draw thousands of visitors each December, authorities have boosted lifesaving capacity and tightened access controls to reduce overcrowding.
Municipal spokesperson Simthandile Ford said the town had invested in additional rescue equipment to improve emergency responses.
“We have increased the number of our jetskis in the past two years to boost lifesaving efforts.
“Without jetskis, life-saving efforts could be challenging as the response wouldn’t be as fast.”
Ford said vehicle access to Port St Johns’ beaches would be managed through paid parking to accommodate a limited number of cars to ensure there was no overcrowding.
Lifeguards had refreshed their jetski training, and would undergo further preparations for the holidays.
Port St Johns’ First Beach, long associated with shark attacks, will remain closed.
“For the past seven years, the beach has been closed for swimming and fishing.
“It remains closed entirely. We will send out notices for tourists who may not know.
“People will be prosecuted by our law enforcement officers if they are found to have been trespassing.”
The municipality credits improved lifeguard practices and better equipment for a clean safety record in recent years.
“During the holidays over the past four years there haven’t been any recorded drownings.”
The Mbhashe Local Municipality will employ 30 seasonal lifeguards for 31 days from December 15 to monitor all 10 of its beaches.
Municipal spokesperson Babalwa Magqwanti said the initiative had proved effective in previous years.
“Since the introduction of seasonal lifeguards we haven’t recorded any drownings and deaths in all Mbhashe beaches during the peak season.
“To support the teams, Mbhashe is providing manuals to guide emergency responses.
“Some beachgoers ignore safety rules, swim outside designated areas or disregard red-flag warnings.
“Alcohol consumption and risky behaviour near the water also contribute to accidents and make rescue efforts more difficult,” she said.
In the Mnquma municipality, 20 lifeguards will be stationed at four beaches, including the popular Mazeppa Bay, from December 15 to January 3.
Municipal spokesperson Loyiso Mpalantshane said: “The lifeguards are fully equipped with rescue equipment such as rescue craft boards and will conduct foot patrols and crowd control at our beaches.
“The municipality implores beachgoers to always adhere to the lifeguards’ instructions to ensure zero drownings.
“In the past two years, no drownings have been reported at our beaches during the busy festive season.”
Mnquma is also piloting a 24-hour CCTV system to curb petty crime around Butterworth’s CBD.
The rotating cameras, linked to a control room, monitor hotspots for offences such as pickpocketing and car break-ins, and can identify motorists with outstanding traffic fines through registration numbers.
National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) communications manager Andrew Ingram said volunteer crews remained fully prepared throughout the year.
“We are on standby 24/7/365, and our state of readiness is the same year-round.
“During the season’s major holidays, our volunteers are on standby at their rescue bases.
“At the busiest times we have vessels on the water, enabling our response to emergencies to be faster.
“We work closely with all emergency services and back the municipal lifeguards up as and when we are needed.”
Ingram noted that while lifeguards were employed professionals, NSRI crews were volunteers who responded in support of local authorities.
“The NSRI crews are all unpaid volunteers who have other jobs, unlike the lifeguards who are professionals paid to be on duty on the beaches.”
Daily Dispatch
