Durban’s ongoing sewage crisis has once again placed the spotlight on the eThekwini Municipality after several popular beaches were closed due to sewer overflows linked to failures at the Mahatma Gandhi Pump Station.
The municipality has confirmed that urgent intervention measures are under way following technical failures at the pump station, which resulted in sewage spills affecting parts of the beachfront and harbour precinct. Among the beaches closed as a precautionary measure are North Beach, Battery Beach and Bay of Plenty, while residents and businesses have raised growing concerns over persistent sewage overflows and foul odours in surrounding areas.
EThekwini Executive Director Ednick Msweli said the city was dealing with an “unexpected overflow” after pumps at the station became clogged on 4 May. Msweli explained that the Mahatma Gandhi Pump Station, described as one of the largest pump stations in Africa, experienced operational strain while repair work was being carried out. “Pump 1 was commissioned on 11 May and repair work is continuing,” he said.
According to Msweli, only one pump was operational during the repair period, which was not enough to handle demand on the system. He said the municipality’s priority was to ensure redundancy within the system so that at least two pumps remain operational at all times. “The plan is to make six pumps available to strengthen operations and prevent future breakdowns,” he said.
Msweli added that parts needed for repairs were expected to arrive from Switzerland within days. The city said sanitation teams, engineers and specialist technicians were working around the clock to restore the station and contain the overflow.
Acting Director of Water and Sanitation Sibusiso Vilane said tanker services had been deployed to reduce pressure on the sewer system while repairs continued. “The city continues to undertake monitoring of overflow points, as well as clean-up and disinfection operations,” said Vilane.
The municipality also attempted to reassure residents about water quality concerns following reports of foul-smelling water in some areas. “The water is safe, however a smell is a smell,” said Msweli. He confirmed that Umngeni Water had conducted water quality tests and that the Ridge Road water infrastructure had been temporarily shut down until authorities were satisfied the water was safe to be pumped back into the system.
However, Ward 26 PR councillor Sharmaine Sewshanker has criticised the municipality, accusing the city of failing to properly maintain critical sewer infrastructure. Sewshanker said residents, tourists and businesses were paying the price for what she described as poor maintenance and a lack of urgency.
“We have three beaches closed. There is a massive problem on the Esplanade, Wilson’s Wharf and the harbour,” she said. She said the sewage crisis recently escalated after a sewer overflow at the Onomo Hotel. “The municipality was called, however they could not resolve the issue because the pump station was still not fully operational and repairs were under way,” said Sewshanker.
Sewshanker questioned how Durban could market itself as a tourism destination while major infrastructure failures remained unresolved. “It is unacceptable that one of the hotels is affected by sewer while we have a R23 million statue here, yet businesses are suffering,” she said.
The councillor also criticised the city following the recent Tourism Indaba, which the municipality had described as a success. “We also had the Indaba recently, which the Mayor said was a resounding success, yet issues like a major sewer pump cannot be resolved,” she said.
According to Sewshanker, North Beach has constant sewer blockages. She further accused the municipality of neglecting routine maintenance and ignoring previous warnings about the deteriorating sewer infrastructure. “We call on the city to hold officials responsible for maintenance accountable.
Sewshanker said concerns around the pump station had already been raised with council months ago. “We questioned the council and they said they would regulate the pumps. This ongoing sewage crisis is damaging Durban’s image. It is obvious that the city does not care about residents and tourists. I will be following up on the matter,” she said.
