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15 May 2019

Cuttings Beach takes shape during infrastructure upgrade

Nothando Mthembu (Southlands Sun)

According to Ashley Pillay, project manager from eThekwini Waste Water Department, the Waste Water infrastructure upgrade project is proceeding well and should be complete by October this year.

THE South Durban Basin Area Based Management (SDB ABM) co-ordinated a site visit to Cuttings Beach in Merebank in light of the effluent leakage that had negatively affected the beach recently. The purpose of the visit was to see the progress of the eThekwini Waste Water infrastructure upgrade currently being undertaken as well as to orientate departments on the next project that will also be implemented soon.

eThekwini officials Martin Prange (Architecture), Eurakha Singh (SDB ABM), Godfrey Vella and Alex Mahlumbi (Coastal and Stormwater) and Mpume Ntuli (SDB ABM) discuss the finer details of Cuttings Beach project.

“The Waste Water infrastructure upgrade project is proceeding well and should be complete by October this year,” said Ashley Pillay, project manager from eThekwini Waste Water Department. He was pleased to report that the boardwalk, that was built to assist with access to beach while construction was underway, will be left behind for the community to use after eThekwini Architecture Department is done assessing the structure and advise on its durability on a long term basis.

Godfrey Vella from eThekwini Coastal Stormwater and Catchment Management Department was present to explain the upcoming project which entails the provision of parking facilities for the users of the beach. This would include improved lighting and CCTV cameras which would improve the safety of the beach for the public.

“This work is part of the outcomes of the South Durban Beach upgrade plans. Discussions are underway, but not finalised, as to how the beach can be upgraded to make it attractive and user friendly for the interest groups who use the beach,”said Eurakha Singh, South Durban Basin ABM senior manager.

“eThekwini Municipality is committed to addressing the needs of our communities and we are trying our best to provide relevant and good quality infrastructure for our people,” said Shunnon Tulsiram, head of the City’s Economic Development Unit, who has made funds available to improve the South Durban Beaches.