Latest news with #eThekwiniMunicipality
The South African
18 hours ago
- General
- The South African
Here's why it's dangerous to go swimming in Durban right now
The eThekwini Municipality announced on Monday, 2 June, that the public was now prohibited from swimming on Durban's south coast beaches. As reported by the The Witness , this was due to a decision to remove shark nets from the water because of the annual sardine run which is currently underway. 'The public is advised that swimming is prohibited at all southern beaches from today, 02 June 2025 until further notice. This is due to the removal of shark nets for the sardine run,' eThekwini Municipality said on their Facebook page. The sardine run officially kicked off on Saturday, 31 May, after the first shoal was netted in Port Edward, along Durban's south coast. And sardines weren't the only fish caught in the nets. According to TimesLive , a whopping 17 bronze whaler or copper sharks were also caught in one net, proving just how dangerous the waters are for swimmers. The famous sardine run, also known as 'The Greatest Shoal on Earth', is an annual event in South Africa where millions of sardines migrate along the east coast, particularly in the KwaZulu-Natal region, during the winter months. This migration draws a wide array of predators, including sharks, dolphins, whales, birds, and game fish, creating a spectacular display of marine wildlife. It's a sight to behold! 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.
The South African
2 days ago
- The South African
Swimming banned at Durban beaches: Here's why
The eThekwini Municipality announced on Monday, 2 June, that the public was now banned from swimming on certain Durban beaches. As reported by the The Witness , this was due to a decision to remove shark nets at these Durban beaches because of the annual sardine run which is currently underway. 'The public is advised that swimming is prohibited at all southern beaches from today, 02 June 2025 until further notice. This is due to the removal of shark nets for the sardine run,' eThekwini Municipality said on their Facebook page. The sardine run officially kicked off on Saturday, 31 May, after the first shoal was netted in Port Edward, along Durban's south coast. And sardines weren't the only fish caught in the nets. According to TimesLive , a whopping 17 bronze whaler or copper sharks were also caught in one net, proving just how dangerous the waters are for swimmers. The famous sardine run, also known as 'The Greatest Shoal on Earth', is an annual event in South Africa where millions of sardines migrate along the east coast, particularly in the KwaZulu-Natal region, during the winter months. This migration draws a wide array of predators, including sharks, dolphins, whales, birds, and game fish, creating a spectacular display of marine wildlife. It's a sight to behold! 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
- Business
- IOL News
Controversial R70. 9 billion budget approved by eThekwini Municipality
The eThekwini Municipality approved a R70.9 billion budget for the 2025/26 financial year at the ICC The eThekwini Municipality approved a R70.9 billion budget for the 2025/26 financial year at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre Complex on Thursday. This decision comes after Mayor Cyril Xaba presented the budget on Monday, where he highlighted key priorities such as infrastructure development, job creation, and enhanced service delivery. However, while the budget was passed, several political parties including ActionSA, the United Independent Movement and the Democratic Alliance (DA) rejected the budget, arguing that it "fails to adequately address the needs of our citizens." "The budget fails to provide sufficient funding for critical services such as public transport, crime prevention, and land management. The allocation for public transport is insufficient to address the needs of our growing city, and the lack of funding for crime prevention will make the situation worse. "Thirdly, the municipality's financial management is a major concern, " KZN Action SA leader Zwakele Mncwango said.
The South African
7 days ago
- Climate
- The South African
eThekwini Municipality implements 10-hour water shutdown
The eThekwini Municipality will on Thursday, 29 May, shut down the Isipingo Hills Reservoir in order to carry out planned maintenance work. The 10-hour maintenance is scheduled to start from 8:00 until 16:00 on the same day. The metro municipality said the maintenance is necessary to improve the flow of water from the reservoir to the City's customers, including residents and businesses. The Isipingo Hills Reservoir also supplies other dependent reservoirs, including the Isipingo Beach and Athlone Park reservoirs. During the shutdown, the dependent reservoirs will also be affected. As mentioned above, the shutdown will commence from 8:00 to 18:00 on the same day. Thereafter, the system will begin to recover, the eThekwini Municipality said. Isipingo Hills Orient Hills Prospecton Isipingo Beach Durban Airport Prospecton Industrial Athlone Park Parts of Umbogintwini Galleria Mall Arbour Crossing HOW DO YOU PREPARE FOR THE ONGOING WATER SHUTDOWNS AND POWER OUTAGES BECAUSE OF PLANNED MAINTENANCE? 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
28-05-2025
- General
- IOL News
Phoenix school community rallies to restore water supply after week-long outage
Phoenix Pioneer primary school Principal Neesha Chetty and Councillor Dr Jonathan Annipen. Image: Supplied IN A HEARTWARMING display of community spirit, residents in Phoenix came together last week to assist Phoenix Pioneer Primary School, which was left without water for an entire week due to damage to its pipeline. The crisis had left learners and staff alike grappling with the absence of one of life's most essential resources, ultimately drawing the community closer as they sought solutions. Neesha Chetty, the Principal of Phoenix Pioneer Primary School, shared her frustration at the situation, explaining that they were informed by the eThekwini Municipality that the fault lay on the school's side, presenting a daunting repair cost of R11,500. 'We faced a state of helplessness as a public school with limited financial resources,' Chetty lamented. 'This amount was simply beyond our reach. For seven long days, we were without water, an essential resource for the well-being and safety of our learners and staff,' she said Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Councillor Dr Jonathan Annipen, who represents the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) in eThekwini, said that this was his former school and that it served hundreds of underprivileged learners in the Phoenix area. 'The crisis not only disrupted daily operations but also posed serious health and hygiene concerns for both learners and staff. Plumbers assessed the damage and quoted the school but as a public institution they could not afford it. With no funds readily available, the school was in a dire situation,' Annipen said. Moved by the plight of the school, Annipen said he understood first-hand the challenges that public schools face and acted swiftly to resolve the issue. 'I could not sit back knowing that my alma mater was struggling to provide a basic necessity like water to its learners. This school is more than just bricks and mortar—it's a foundation for the future of our children, and I am committed to doing what I can to support it,' Annipen stated. Annipen stated that local businessman Marcel Choonilal undertook the repairs at the school. Chetty expressed heartfelt gratitude to both Choonilal and Annipen for their timely and generous intervention which saved the school a significant amount of money and ensured that the learning environment was restored. "Annipen's support has reminded us that leadership is not just about politics, but about service, compassion, and genuine care for community upliftment. He is a beacon of support for schools and communities in need," Chetty said.
