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Many beaches still open on KwaZulu-Natal coast

POUNDED: High seas caused huge damage along the coast. Pic. Mandla Mkhize. © Sowetan.
POUNDED: High seas caused huge damage along the coast. Pic. Mandla Mkhize. © Sowetan.

Holiday bookings for Easter have not been seriously affected by the storm damage along the KwaZulu-Natal coast, the Federated Hospitality Association of SA (Fedhasa) said yesterday.

Holiday bookings for Easter have not been seriously affected by the storm damage along the KwaZulu-Natal coast, the Federated Hospitality Association of SA (Fedhasa) said yesterday.

Fedhasa's east coast chairman, Alan Vels, said: "There has been no impact on Durban. In fact, there seems to be a curiosity factor" motivating out-of-province holidaymakers.

He said there had been a few cancellations outside Durban and at a few bed-and-breakfasts in the worst-affected resort, Ballito, north of Durban.

KwaZulu-Natal's coastline was pounded by heavy surf on March19, causing infrastructure damage estimated by Premier S'bu Ndebele at about R500million.

The Daily News reported yesterday that Ballito was "still covered in a foul-smelling blanket of toxic sludge and raw sewage".

The report said that the disaster-management officials of the KwaDukuza municipality "have strict instructions to bar the public from Ballito's beaches," which are a major health hazard.

Three sewerage pumping stations near Ballito were destroyed and six were damaged.

Numerous beaches remain closed.

Vels said that though holiday-makers might find that the beach nearest to them was closed, there were many others that were open.

Several south coast establishments reported that there had been numerous enquiries about the state of the resorts but very few cancellations. - Sapa

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