Sardine run forces municipalities to ban swimming at beaches
Despite the tough surf conditions, 80 crates were netted at Port Edward.
'One of the nets had 21 sharks caught. All were released alive.'
On Sunday 40 crates were hauled at Sandspit, near the Umzimkhulu River.
'Just more than 40 crates of sardines were recovered, and the rest were spilt back into the ocean with several sharks that were in the net.
'By mid-morning, the shoals had moved to the Banana Beach/Pumula area, where the seine netters again braved the high seas and attempted to net. The sardines again were followed by masses of sharks that were regularly seen breaching and feeding on the sardines.
'Though the seine netters tried netting many times at Pumula, the high surf and strong currents prevented the netters from having a successful day. Only one netter managed to get about 30 crates due to the difficult conditions.'
Shoals also made their way to Pennington and Rocky Bay.
The Sharks Board team started removing shark nets from Sunday.
'The operations department is proud the gear was removed and there were no captures, though there was an abundance of shark activity.'
Dhaya Sewduth, Lifesaving SA president, said the eThekwini municipality had closed the southern beaches under its jurisdiction due to the removal of shark nets and other hazardous conditions.
Ray Nkonyeni municipality has also closed beaches in Hibberdene, Port Shepstone, Shelly Beach, Margate, Ramsgate, Southbroom, Marina Beach, Trafalgar and Leisure Bay.
When beaches are closed, no designated bathing zones will be marked, and it is crucial beachgoers remain out of the ocean. Strong swells are affecting the lower south coast, and rip currents, which are common in this region, pose danger to swimmers. Lifesaving SA urged people to respect the closures and prioritise safety for themselves and others.
TimesLIVE
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Herald
2 hours ago
- The Herald
First-ever mass vaccination of poultry in SA to combat bird flu
Agriculture minister John Steenhuisen on Thursday announced the first mass vaccination of poultry in the country to protect the local flock from avian flu. He also announced that the department had also ordered vaccines to combat foot and mouth disease. 'Our vaccination team, comprising poultry specialist vets from the University of Pretoria, along with the Agricultural Research Council, has received a list of farms to be vaccinated from the poultry industry and is prioritising high-risk areas and commercial flocks to contain the virus and prevent further culling,' Steenhuisen said. He said the country had secured a vaccine supply, ensured cold chain capacity and was building traceability and reporting mechanisms as part of a wider preparedness strategy . In addition, 50 animal health technicians were appointed on short-term contracts to help with the vaccination rollout. Their induction and refresher training was expected to start next week. Steenhuisen said the department had also ordered foot and mouth disease vaccines to cover KwaZulu-Natal, while assessment, as well forward and backward tracing of the outbreak in Gauteng, was ongoing. More than 900,000 doses of vaccines were ordered and the first batch is expected to arrive next week. 'These plans are not only about responding to outbreaks, but also about building permanent infrastructure to manage future risks. 'More broadly, we are establishing a biosecurity council that will bring together the police, veterinarians, scientists, the Border Management Authority and industry. We are rolling out a farm-to-fork national traceability system for livestock,' Steenhuisen said. He said Onderstepoort was being upgraded to restore vaccine self-sufficiency and rural veterinary services and emergency response were enhanced. The dip-tank model in partnership with traditional leaders was also being introduced. Steenhuisen praised Karan Beef for its quick response to the foot and mouth outbreak in its Heidelberg facility d uring a virtual meeting on Wednesday night with the company and departmental officials. The agriculture department said there were still signs of active virus circulation in the disease management area (DMA) in KwaZulu-Natal, with some outbreaks detected outside the DMA. A system has been put in place to assess the level of biosecurity on individual farms, with the intention of aligning the control measures to the biosecurity risks. TimesLIVE
The Herald
2 hours ago
- The Herald
Sangoma implicated in toddler's murder makes U-turn on bail
The sangoma who was arrested in connection with the premeditated murder of two-year-old Kutlwano Shalaba has made an about-turn and wants to apply for bail. Sebokoana Khoanyana, 50, made a brief appearance on Thursday and his matter was postponed to June 25 for a formal bail application. Khoanyana appeared alongside Kutlwano's mother, Keneiwe Shalaba, 33, who is accused of lying about her son's disappearance in November 2024. Shalaba is also facing charges of premeditated murder. Khoanyana had initially requested that an attorney be made available so that he could plead guilty but was advised by the court that it was not the right time to plead. His lawyer, Gladmore Nyamande, said his client had a previous conviction of assault in 2019, which he believes was withdrawn. He was also convicted of possession of dagga but got a suspended sentence. Speaking to reporters shortly after the matter was postponed, Nyamande said: 'On his first appearance, he was not aware of his legal rights when he told the court that he wanted to plead guilty. 'According to his rights, the first thing he needs to do is to apply for bail and this matter will go further than the magistrate's court. We are not at the stage [of the trial] for him to plead guilty. He is flip-flopping; we don't know. When we come back, he might say he wants to abandon bail. 'On the day [of his first appearance] he just thought that by appearing and saying he wanted to plead, then the whole matter would be finished,' he said.
The Herald
2 hours ago
- The Herald
Man accused of killing his sister opts to represent himself
Mluleki Nkosi, the man accused of killing his sister and burying her in a shallow grave at their Mpumalanga home, has told the Kabokweni magistrate's court that he will represent himself. Nkosi, 30, was arrested on Tuesday after he confessed to the killing of his sister Sibongile Precious, 40. 'I understand the charges levelled against me. I will represent myself because I have made my confession in this case,' said Nkosi. Magistrate Musa Mabuza warned Nkosi that he was facing serious charges, but he insisted on representing himself. Nkosi also told the court that he did not want bail.
