40,000 copies free every week from Umdloti to Mandeni No 1373 Vol 31 | Tel: 032-9460276 | Fax: 032-9462430 | www.northcoastcourier.co.za | Friday, September 23, 2016 Beaches suffer neglect Return of the Ring The Ilembe Heritage Page 3 Page 7 Experience Page 15 Pages 19 - 24 Maphumulo’s King of Maskandi Thousands of maskandi fans showed “mega love” for Sbongiseni “Mjikijelwa” Ngubane at the Imvunge Maskandi Festival in KwaDukuza Recreational Grounds last Saturday. Story: Page 2 Photo: Sboniso Dlamini Illegal dumps pose major health risk Erica Abrhams of waste are illegally dumped secretly, often by depending on the amount,” said van Rensberg. pay rates. building contractors. Dolphin Coast Conservancy chairman Di Jones KwaDukuza municipality is however ultimately Illegal dumping is out of control across KwaDu- Dolphin Coast Waste Management (based in said drivers from construction companies need to responsible for clearing this waste. KDM often kuza and could lead to the outbreak of disease and Shaka’s Head) operations director Jonathan van be closely monitored. places skips in these areas and should collect them other problems if not controlled, warns a Ballito Rensberg said illegal dumping on the North Coast “Sometimes their managers give them money to regularly, but don’t. The skips are often overflow- doctor. was increasing. legally dispose of their waste but they pocket the ing with rubbish and are abused by non-residents Groutville, Shakaskraal, Umdloti and Sheffield “It comes down to people not wanting to pay. money and dump the load,” she said. who use the sites to dump waste they should be are some areas where illegal dumping is on the rise. Dumping waste is far cheaper than paying for it to Illegal dumping can have long-lasting effects on taking to the landfill. Affected residents bear the brunt of dumpsites on be picked up,” he said. the environment. Grouville resident Maxwell Msomi said a skip their doorsteps overflowing with rubble, food, nap- Sister company Dolphin Coast Waste Manage- “Once the litter settles and starts to rot, a liquid was placed across the road from his house a year pies, rotting carcasses and other general waste. ment owns and manages the KwaDukuza landfill called leachate forms. This reaches the ground ago by KDM, but it makes his life unbearable. He Animals rummage through piles of filth while site in Stanger (the largest of its kind in the Southern water and contaminates it,” said Jones. believes it is a health hazard.”Would they like a skip children play in the rubble littered grounds: a famil- Hemisphere) and as a high hazard site is permitted The second problem is that illegal dumps form in outside their homes? The smell is so bad that some- iar scene in townships and along the back roads of to accept all waste streams. squatter communities and townships that do not times you want to vomit. the Dolphin Coast. “We accept everything but our prices vary receive regular refuse removal because they do not The problem is two-fold. Firstly large quantities Continued on Page 2 MVVKtMHZOPVUtOVTLtZLY]PJLZtIVK` ZV\S PROUDLY SOUTH AFRICAN! ;LS! ^^^IHSSP[VSPMLZ[`SLJLU[YLJVaH 2 The North Coast Courier, September 23, 2016 NEWS ‘The stench is unbearable’ - resident Maxwell Msomi lives with the filth of this overfowing skip outside his front door. Continued from Page 1 “People abuse this place by coming with bakkies after petting the animals they could become full of rubbish and dumping it. When the skip is infected, resulting in diarrhea, vomiting and fever,” full, which it has been for the past couple of months he said. (it was cleared once before the elections), people An unfenced dump can also become a a very dump on the ground. So now there is a whole area dangerous playground. around the skip that is badly littered. Sometimes “If children play in an old fridge for example, people light a fire on the dump and the stench from they could then get trapped inside,” said Patel. the rotting filth is unbearable,” he said. There have been instances aropund the world where Msomi said he is concerned about the what goes children have suffocated to death after becoming into the skip. trapped in old fridges. “A few years ago the municipality put a skip on DA Ward 22 Cllr Malcom Hubner said council my neighbour’s land without consulting him. When was aware of the problem and that offenders are he wanted to build, the land had to be cleared and liable to hefty penalties. during that process they found a dead baby in the “This problem is regularly brought to the atten- dirt. There is no limit to what people will dump,” tion of councillors so we know about the illegal said Msomi dumps in Shakskraal, Umhlali, Umdloti, Sheffield Ballito’s Dr Dinesh Patel said the dumps were a and many other places. Skips that are placed by breeding ground for bacteria. KDM are supposed to be monitored and emptied “It is common sense to not have a dump site when they are full. People who illegally dump where people are living. One of the main concerns waste can be penalised up to R8 156, plus they is asbestos which comes from building material like would pay for the municipality to clear the site,” roofs, tiles and floor boards. If the dump catches warned Hubner. alight and the asbestos is inhaled, those exposed KwaDukuza Municipality has been asked how could develop asbestosis, which is a lung disease. many fines have been issued in the past year, but Cancer is also a long term effect. did not reply. “Then there’s the general concern of the spread of * Tell The Courier if you know of or are living bacteria. Dogs can carry the bacteria back into near an illegal dumpsite. Email Erica@northcoast- people’s homes. If people do not wash their hands courier.co.za. Dancing in the rain The jubilant crowd surged to the stage to watch Mjik’jelwa Ngubane play his music. Continued from Page 1 Thousands of mas- group called Ondabuzekwayo last year as a kandi fans showed symbol of peace within the maskandi industry. “mega love” for Sbongiseni “Mjikijelwa” He started his music career in 2001 as a Ngubane at the Imvunge Maskandi Festival in dancer and composer under the mentorship of KwaDukuza Recreational Grounds last Satur- the late Khulekani ‘Mgqumeni’ Khumalo day. from Enquthu. He released his first solo album The crowd became uncontrollable when the in 2009. Maphumulo-born star came on stage and they He composes and lead four groups broke the fence to get closer to the dynamic (Umjik’jelwa, Amangcukumane, Omenzelwa artist. Ngubane has become one of SA’s mas- and Ichalaha likaShafuza) and release albums kandi giants and has a reputation for his excel- every year through his own company, Mjik- lent guitar skills and stylish lifestyle. ijelwa Music Production. “I love you all and thanks for the support The 12-string guitarist has been nominated you have shown me and other maskandi art- for various traditional music awards, includ- ists. It is raining and still you to show up in ing the SATMAs and AmaNtshontsho Awards. numbers. Thank you,” he said. The crowds were also treated to the perfor- He was also celebrating his 33rd birthday mances of Khuzani Mpungose, Dlubheke and his fans came into the stage with a birth- Khuzwayo, Osaziwayo, Abafana baka Mgqu- day cake for him. Other artists, Ali Mgube also meni, Ama SAP, Shwi Nomtekhala and from Maphumulo and Mthandeni Manqele Mthandeni Manqele. from Emtubatuba, came to celebrate with The event was hosted by KwaDukuza him. municipality and department of Arts and Cul- Manqele, Mgube and Ngubane formed a ture. The North Coast Courier, September 23, 2016 3 NEWS Beaches suffer neglect Allan Troskie said, “There is confusion in the municipality right now as to whose responsibility this problem is.” Residents of Sheffield Beach live on one of the There has been a reshuffle of certain positions more beautiful stretches of coast and pay a pretty and titles within the municipality - but nobody is in penny for that right, yet they find that they often charge of the maintenance and clean-up of Ballito’s struggle just to make it down the dilapidated and beaches. often dangerous walkways to the beach. Kwadukuza municipality has not responded to The access paths leading down to Sheffield and questions about the problem. Christmas Bay beaches are in such a state of disre- pair that a trip to the beach could be a challenging Whose responsibility is it to maintain the undertaking for some. access paths to the beach? Rotting wooden stairs, nails sticking out, cracked and collapsing cinder-block steps, steeply sloping ground and even metal rods sticking out of the grass are putting both locals and visitors off. Residents of Colwyn Drive claim that the stairs down to Christmas Bay and Sheffield Beach have been repaired only twice in five years - and that with poor quality materials. One local even complained to The Courier that “extreme beach finding” was no way to encourage visitors, saying “families are being turned off even finding a way down to the beach.” DA councillor for Salt Rock Malcolm Huber Dilapidated and often dangerous - the walkways down to the beach from Colwyn Drive are in a shocking state of disrepair. Council vetoes car guard controls Erica Abrahams Bik restaurant, La Montagne, The Boulders, Emberton Way and Coco der Mer, Hawkins Road Drinking on the job and drug taking are two inap- carpark, the Ballito Village, Salmon Bay, Foch le propriate activities that have been observed among Roux Lane and Zimbali beach parking lot.