EThekwini Municipality will be re-entering the Blue Flag Programme this year, according to a statement by eThekwini Mayor James Nxumalo made on Thursday 13 June 2013.

“Since 2008 Durban has not participated in the Blue Flag Programme. Since then there have been a number of calls by the public, hospitality and business entities, as well as Provincial and National Governments, for the eThekwini Municipality to re-enter the Blue Flag Programme. In January 2013 Council resolved to re-enter the Blue Flag Programme this calendar year and our officials have been working to achieve this resolution,” said Nxumalo.

For eThekwini to re-enter the Blue Flag Programme the municipality’s proposed beaches must start in the pilot phase for a minimum of a year. To achieve full Blue Flag status the beaches must demonstrate that the pilot beaches have complied with all 33 Blue Flag criteria. Our biggest challenge is undoubtedly the state of our water quality at our beaches.

“A critical review of the City’s water quality results has narrowed the potential pilot Blue Flag beaches to six candidates,” said Nxumalo, adding that the six candidates which will be put forward over the next two years are as follows:

1St Year (2013/14 season) – Umdloti Tidal area, Umdloti Main, Ushaka and Umgagaba

2nd Year (2014/15 season) – Westbrook and Umhlanga Main

3rd year and onwards – other beaches where we can demonstrate improved water quality conditions to the point where the beaches become eligible.

Nxumalo concluded by adding that the Council will be setting up a Beach Management Committee in terms of Criterion 12 of the Blue Flag Programme which will be convened by eThekwini.The Council will also be comprised of local and provincial authority representatives, as well as relevant stakeholder groups, for example, hotel managers, beach managers, lifeguards, educational representatives, local NGO’s, and other stakeholders such as community representatives, special user groups, etc.