Residents hopeful as Umhlanga Wastewater Treatment Works refurbishment begins
Image: Supplied
The Umhlanga Ratepayers and Residents Association (URRA) hoped that the R60 million refurbishment of the Umhlanga Wastewater Treatment Works (WWTW) would be done efficiently and competently.
Work began last week to refurbish the April 2022 storm-damaged WWTW.
eThekwini Municipality spokesperson, Gugu Sisilana, said the scope of work entails a rehabilitation and functional upgrade of critical infrastructure within the treatment works, including mechanical, electrical, civil, and structural elements.
She said key interventions include refurbishing the inlet works, aeration basins, clarifiers, sludge handling pumping systems, electrical works, instrumentation, and the chlorination system.
'The improvements will assist to restore operational efficiency at the works for the treatment of sewage. The works will be able to receive an apportionment of wastewater from the Umhlanga catchment for treatment,' Sisilana said.
eThekwini Ward 35 Councillor Bradley Singh confirmed that the multimillion-rand upgrade to the WWTW is finally under way, despite a four-month delay in starting the project.
Singh explained that the April 2022 floods severely damaged one of the facility's main purifiers, forcing its complete shutdown.
He added that since 2022, the WWTW plant has been operating on a single treatment unit, which also failed two weeks ago.
'The department temporarily restored operations using generators, but the system is under immense strain. The upgrade will not only restore full capacity but also expand the plant's ability to handle increasing waste volumes as Durban's northern areas continue to develop,' Singh explained.
The Shellborne pump station directs wastewater from La Lucia, Homeford, Shellborne, Armstrong Avenue, and Whalebone Pier to the Umhlanga plant.
Singh explained that with one purifier out of service, excess sewage had to be diverted to the Phoenix plant. He said this temporary solution failed to address long-term risks.
'Residents have borne the brunt of the crisis, with frequent sewage spills leading to repeated closures of Umhlanga's beaches. The foul odour and health hazards have sparked widespread complaints, underscoring the urgent need for a permanent solution,' Singh said.
Terry MacLarty, chairperson of the URRA, said they were delighted that eThekwini is finally undertaking this repair, which was long overdue.
MacLarty said the URRA has been campaigning to get the work done to prevent the overflowing sewage lines and the E. coli contamination of the ocean for years.
'This repair is critical to restore our attraction to visitors, which has taken a huge knock as a result of beach closures, resulting from the failure of infrastructure. Umhlanga is a major contributor to the rates of eThekwini, and the restoration of our tourism will make a huge difference to the economy of our area. We are hopeful that this repair work will be done efficiently and competently and will be completed as soon as possible,' MacLarty said.
[email protected]
The Umhlanga coastline, north of Durban.
Image: Supplied / eThekwini Municipality
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Citizen
2 days ago
- The Citizen
Rising elephant numbers spur celebration and concern in South Africa
Home to 44 000 African savanna elephants and a population that continues to grow, South Africa's conservation efforts have demonstrated success, unlike in some other countries where elephant numbers are on the decline. 'Our elephants are a national treasure, a keystone species, an integral part of our heritage, and play a significant role in maintaining a balance where the creation of value exceeds consumption, crucial for sustaining and increasing South Africa's social and natural capital, which are fundamental for inclusive socio-economic development,' the deputy minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Narend Singh, said on Tuesday. As South Africa joined the global community in celebrating World Elephant Day, the deputy minister noted that elephants in South Africa have also expanded their range over the past 40 years. Most elephants in the country live in government-protected areas like Kruger National Park, Mapungubwe National Park and Tembe Elephant Park. These parks are part of larger transfrontier conservation areas, where elephants often move freely across national borders and are shared with neighbouring countries. 'In addition to these large parks, there are 89 smaller, fenced reserves that also support elephant populations. About 6 000 elephants are owned privately or by communities, and in recent years, more and more communities have started to manage elephants themselves,' Singh said. While South Africa's success in recovering elephant populations offers hope for the species, the deputy minister warned that it also brings a difficult trade-off in the context of the country's developmental agenda and needs. 'As elephant numbers and ranges expand, encounters between people and elephants have increased, particularly in rural communities living near protected areas. 'Human-elephant conflict can result in crop losses, damage to infrastructure, and in some cases, injury or loss of human life. For many affected families, these incidents can threaten food security and livelihoods. 'Managing these interactions is essential to ensuring that conservation gains do not come at the expense of community well-being. It requires innovative solutions that promote co-existence, such as improved land-use planning, early-warning systems, community-based monitoring, and benefit-sharing initiatives that recognise the costs of living alongside elephants,' Singh said. While re-imagining conservation in the country, South Africa's aspiration is to ensure that thriving elephants contribute to improving the well-being of people and ecosystems simultaneously. The country's conservation efforts are guided by the four goals of the White Paper policy on Conservation and Sustainable Use of South Africa's Biodiversity, which are aimed at balancing conservation with sustainable use, transformation, access and benefit sharing. The deputy minister was addressing the Elephant Indaba at Bonamanzi in KZN, a province that is home to the second-largest elephant population in the country. The Elephant Indaba coincided with World Elephant Day, which was celebrated under the theme: 'Matriarchs' and Memories'. World Elephant Day is dedicated to raising awareness of the urgent need to protect and manage the world's elephants. – Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel. Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal. Read original story on
The South African
6 days ago
- The South African
South Africa's success story in elephant conservation
Home to 44 000 African elephants and a population that continues to grow, South Africa's conservation efforts have demonstrated success when compared to the decline of elephant numbers in some other countries. 'Our elephants are a national treasure, a keystone species, an integral part of our heritage and plays a significant role in maintaining a balance where the creation of value exceeds consumption, crucial for sustaining and increasing South Africa's social and natural capital, which are fundamental for inclusive socio-economic development,' Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Narend Singh said on Tuesday. As South Africa joins the global community in celebrating World Elephant Day, the Deputy Minister noted that elephants in South Africa have also expanded their range over the past 40 years. Most elephants in the country live in government-protected areas like Kruger National Park, Mapungubwe National Park, and Tembe Elephant Park. These parks are part of larger Transfrontier Conservation Areas (TFCAs), where elephants often move freely across national borders and are shared with neighbouring countries. 'In addition to these large parks, there are 89 smaller, fenced reserves that also support elephant populations. About 6 000 elephants are owned privately or by communities, and in recent years, more and more communities have started to manage elephants themselves,' Singh said. While South Africa's success in recovering elephant populations offers hope for the species, the Deputy Minister warned that it also brings a difficult trade-off in the context of the country's developmental agenda and needs. 'As elephant numbers and ranges expand, encounters between people and elephants have increased, particularly in rural communities living near protected areas. 'Human-elephant conflict can result in crop losses, damage to infrastructure, and in some cases, injury or loss of human life. For many affected families, these incidents can threaten food security and livelihoods. 'Managing these interactions is essential to ensuring that conservation gains do not come at the expense of community well-being. It requires innovative solutions that promote co-existence, such as, improved land-use planning, early-warning systems, community-based monitoring, and benefit-sharing initiatives that recognise the costs of living alongside elephants,' Singh said. While re-imagining conservation in the country, South Africa's aspiration is to ensure that thriving elephants contribute to improving the well-being of people and ecosystems simultaneously. The country's conservation efforts are guided by the four goals of the White Paper policy on Conservation and Sustainable Use of South Africa's Biodiversity, which are aimed at balancing conservation with sustainable use, transformation, access and benefit sharing. The Deputy Minister was addressing the Elephant Indaba at Bonamanzi in KwaZulu-Natal, a province that is home to the second largest elephant population in the country. The Elephant Indaba coincided with World Elephant Day that is being celebrated under the theme: 'Matriarchs' and Memories'. World Elephant Day is a day dedicated to raising awareness of the urgent need to protect and manage the world's elephants. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
IOL News
6 days ago
- IOL News
South Africa celebrates World Elephant Day with strong conservation commitments
On World Elephant Day, South Africa highlights the importance of elephant conservation under the theme 'Matriarchs and Memories'. SOUTH Africa marked World Elephant Day today with a renewed commitment to elephant conservation, as the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) convened a high-level dialogue with stakeholders at the Southern African Elephant Indaba in KwaZulu-Natal. This year's global commemoration, themed 'Matriarchs and Memories', coincided with the two-day indaba, held in Bonamanzi, in a region that is home to the country's second-largest elephant population. South Africa has a population of approximately 44,000 African savanna elephants, which continues to grow. Most of these elephants inhabit government-protected areas such as Kruger National Park, Mapungubwe National Park, and Tembe Elephant Park, many of which form part of Transfrontier Conservation Areas (TFCAs) where elephants roam across international borders. Additionally, 89 smaller fenced reserves support elephant populations, with an estimated 6,000 elephants under private or community ownership. 'South Africa's success in recovering elephant populations not only offers hope for the species, but brings also difficult trade-offs in the context of the country's developmental agenda and needs. As elephant numbers and ranges expand, encounters between people and elephants have increased, particularly in rural communities living near protected areas,' said Deputy Minister Narend Singh. 'Human-elephant conflict can result in crop losses, damage to infrastructure, and in some cases, injury or loss of human life. For many affected families, these incidents can threaten food security and livelihoods. Managing these interactions is essential to ensuring that conservation gains do not come at the expense of community well-being. It requires innovative solutions that promote co-existence, such as, improved land-use planning, early-warning systems, community-based monitoring, and benefit-sharing initiatives that recognise the costs of living alongside elephants,' Singh said. The department's efforts align with South Africa's White Paper on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biodiversity, which promotes a vision of 'Thriving People and Nature.' The policy aims to balance conservation with sustainable use, transformation, access, and benefit sharing. 'Whilst re-imagining conservation in the country, guided by the four goals of the White Paper policy on Conservation and Sustainable Use of South Africa's Biodiversity, that seeks to balance conservation with sustainable use, transformation, access and benefit sharing, our aspiration is to ensure that thriving elephants contribute to improving the well-being of people and ecosystems simultaneously; and serves as a flagship for driving change towards 'Thriving People and Nature',' Singh said. The Deputy Minister also emphasised the elephants' role as a cultural symbol. 'Our elephants are a national treasure, a keystone species, an integral part of our heritage and plays a significant role in maintaining a balance where the creation of value exceeds consumption, crucial for sustaining and increasing South Africa's social and natural capital, which are fundamental for inclusive socio-economic development.' Despite conservation gains, elephant populations still face threats including habitat loss, climate change, and human-wildlife conflict. Addressing these challenges, Singh stressed, requires collective action: 'It is therefore imperative for South Africa to harness collaboration, co-learning and co-working, so that our collective wisdom, capacity and actions bring forth a flourishing world and thriving life.' The Elephant Indaba brings together policy developers, civil society, scientists, traditional leaders, health practitioners, and communities bordering protected areas. The discussions are aimed at developing collaborative, community-based solutions to ensure elephant conservation efforts benefit both the species and the people living alongside them.
