Durban environmentalists are warning residents not to consume dead fish found along the Isipingo Beach lagoon. south of Durban, on weekends.
The eThekwini Municipality has announced that access to the Isipingo estuary has been closed.
Eco-activist Desmond D’Sa believes that the estuary was polluted when the sewage pump was working properly. D’Sa says that although the municipality warned residents, the area was not cordoned off as some fishermen were seen still going about their business.
He says there was a foul stench in the air after hundreds of dead fish were found everywhere.
“When I got to Isipingo Beach, there were a lot of people fishing and swimming. But luckily all the dead fish were kept in the lagoon. This is the second case I have seen in the last few years. What really worries us is that people are hungry and there is a lot of unemployment in our community. People could go there, go get fish, cook it and die,” adds D’Sa.
Clean up is being conducted
According to a Twitter post from the city, the city has begun cleaning up the Isipingo Beach lagoon after the discovery of dead fish. Specialist cleaning crews work on site, responsibly collecting and disposing of the fish.
The city also adds that an investigation is underway to determine the root cause of the contamination and that they will continue to monitor water quality in rivers and beaches through sampling and field studies.
