With December in full swing, Kaysers Beach is without its biggest tourist drawcard — its beach.
It remains closed nearly five months after a whale carcass washed up on the shore. The whale first stranded on the beach in July.
At the time, East London Museum principal natural scientist Kevin Cole said the best course of action was to allow the carcass to decompose naturally, noting that the rocky shoreline where the whale landed made removal difficult.
Cole said butchering the carcass would release large amounts of blubber and muscle tissue into the environment, creating further complications.
As a result, residents have been left without access to the beach and endured unpleasant odours from the decomposing whale.
The prolonged closure has frustrated the community, with repeated attempts to have the beach reopened unsuccessful.
Kaysers Beach Ratepayers’ Association chair Leon Schmidt said residents had proposed several alternatives to remove the carcass, but all had been rejected by the Buffalo City Metro (BCM).
“Residents offered solutions such as burning the carcass, which was denied by the council, layering it with compostable materials to aid decomposition, which was brushed off, and supplying private assistance with heavy machinery to lift and remove it for disposal,” Schmidt said.
“Environmental and health concerns around removal have been the council’s main reason for inaction, which is understandable.
“But what about the environmental and health impacts currently being imposed on our small village?
“The odour is sometimes stomach-turning, and fluids escaping from the carcass are polluting the surrounding area, making beach swimming impossible.
“This has seriously compromised the welfare of residents and visitors alike. The carcass could take years to decompose naturally, leaving Kaysers Beach with a long-term problem.”
The only concern would be if people go to the whale and interact with it. The carcass itself is not affecting the health of the environment.
— East London Museum principal natural scientist Kevin Cole
Despite ongoing complaints from residents, Cole said the smell would only be strong when people were close to or interacting with the carcass.
“There is no danger to anyone. It is not attracting sharks,” he said.
“The only concern would be if people go to the whale and interact with it. The carcass itself is not affecting the health of the environment.”
Cole said he would need to revisit the site before making further comment, but said that while the smell was an inconvenience, it was unlikely to make people ill or affect air quality.
Resident Yolande Swartz said the whale’s presence had dampened the festive season and it should be removed.
“Everyone became frustrated. Locals wanted to burn the carcass but were told we can’t do it,” she said.
“I saw the municipality there once or twice, but we didn’t get any further information.
“The stench is bad and the sight is unbearable. It looks like a mixture of blood and fat — it’s horrible.
“It’s on the main beach and no one can swim there anymore. They’ve put up signs saying no swimming,” she said.
BCM confirmed that teams had been on site to assess the carcass.
However, the municipality could not be reached for comment by the time of publication.
Daily Dispatch
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