Photo supplied by eThekwini municipality.
eThekwini Municipality has temporarily closed its popular Umhlanga Main Beach and Bronze Beach after unidentified “balls” were discovered mixed with beach sand, sparking speculation that they could be human or animal faeces.
A video circulating on social media, recorded by an unidentified beachgoer, sparked the speculation, with the “balls” being likened to dog faeces by the person in the footage.
The city has called for calm, urging the public not to jump to conclusions or circulate unverified information.
“At this stage, we cannot confirm if the balls are human waste,” the municipality said in a statement on Wednesday, adding that samples had been collected and were being tested by the eThekwini Water and Sanitation Unit and scientists from its Scientific Services division.
The city also expressed frustration with media outlets that reported the balls “appear to be human waste” and linked the discovery to previous beach closures due to high E. coli levels.
“This is irresponsible journalism,” the city said, adding that it remains transparent about water quality issues and is working to identify the source of the “balls”.
Durban beaches are indeed notorious for closures due to high levels of E.coli, but potential poop balls would be a new phenomenon.
When contacted, the city was unable to provide details on the amount of “balls” that were found.
Beachgoers have been advised to steer clear of the affected areas until further notice.