EThekwini is ready to host you safely

 

EThekwini is ready 

to host you safely

The municipality has implemented plans to keep holidaymakers safe during the festive season. Visitors and residents are urged to work with law enforcement to ensure a safe and incident-free holiday. To prepare for the high numbers of visitors to eThekwini's beaches, 200 000 wristbands have been procured. All children between the ages of 0 and 12 years on the beachfront will be required to wear a wristband which contains the details of their guardians. If a child is separated from their guardian, 38 child-minders have been employed to look after them until they are reunited with their families. There have been situations where some guardians have abused this service. They leave the children at the care centre and go out and have fun. The minders are aware of this and will report to authorities anyone caught abandoning children. Tags for children can be obtained as follows: For central beaches they are obtained at Addington beach; South beach; Wedge beach between North and Bay Beaches lawns; Battery beach and Laguna beach. In the South the tags are obtainable at Toti Beach in places where tents for separated children will be erected. The overnight facility for lost children that have not been united with their guardians is at Ellis Brown school. Around 65 beach guides will be stationed across the various beaches to help with information and safety and security. An additional 160 seasonal lifeguards have also been deployed at the various beaches. All bathing beaches will be operational between 6am and 6.30pm. There will be road closures especially in roads leading to the beaches. Previously permits were issued for people to access the beach even where there are road closures. This  year that facility is not available in order to limit congestion on the beach parking lots. Measures to close roads have already been implemented as of 12 December with the placement of bollards. The bollards will be manned by Metro Police from Blue Lagoon down to the Point Waterfront. There will also be access control at beaches in the North and the South. Law enforcement officers will also be out in full force to enforce by-laws with about 168 contract security employed. By-laws to be paid more attention to include the no sleeping in cars, buses or beaches, no braaing or open fires on the beach and most importantly no alcohol allowed. To control traffic on the beachfront, certain roads leading to the beachfront will be boom gate controlled. The park and ride facility is available at no cost and will be operational from 7am to 10am and 10pm to 12am on non-peak days. The service will be available on peak days from 10am to 10pm. This service will operate from the Drive-In site. Road safety campaigns to enforce municipal by-laws will also be visible to ensure that unroadworthy vehicles, drunken driving and irresponsible conduct on the road is curbed. Public amenities on the beachfront will be open from Monday to Thursday from 6am to 8pm and on Friday to Sunday and public holidays from 6am to 10pm. On holiday peak days a 24-hour service will be provided at the Point, Addington, South, New Beach, Country Club, eThekwini and Bay of Plenty beaches. ''The public is encouraged to enjoy their holidays and make memories with their loved ones in a considerate and responsible manner. Remember that COVID-19 is still a reality and we must take care of ourselves and those close to us and observe all COVID-19 protocols.'' said Mayor, Cllr Mxolisi Kaunda. 

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Calls for Africa to invest in AIDS research

The global community inclusive of scientists, policy makers, activists, and government leaders from Africa gathered in Durban to review global AIDS strategies and to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on HIV/AIDS. South African Deputy President David Mabuza, in his capacity as the Chairperson of the SA National Aids Council on 6 December opened the 21st International Conference on AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections in Africa (ICASA). The conference was held virtually from 6 to 11 December to amplify national, continental, and global integration to reach epidemic control in Africa. 

The conference was held under the theme 'Africa's AIDS response: The race to 2030 - Evidence. Scale up. Accelerate.' Deputy President Mabuza called on Africa to invest in research and innovation to build resilient capabilities for the development and manufacture of critical vaccines, drugs, and ancillary medical supplies that will support the roll-out of health programmes on the continent. ''This is the time to move beyond rhetoric and forge collaborative platforms for research and innovation to promote intra-Africa cooperation in the development and provision of health solutions that the continent needs,'' he said. 

''The lesson the COVID-19 vaccine rollout programme has taught us is that as a continent, we need to invest in our own capabilities to overcome the hogging of vaccines by wealthier nations thereby effectively responding to current and future epidemics and pandemics.'' He said Africa was more than capable using the recent example of South African scientists detecting the genome of the Omicron variant and its mutations with precision. Executive Director of UNAIDS Winnie Byanyima said to end AIDS and COVID-19 and to prevent future pandemics, the continent needs to protect human rights and build trust in health system. ''We must deepen the push to eliminate the disproportionate vulnerability of girls to HIV. We must get girls into school and keep them there. While they are in school, they need comprehensive sexual education to provide them with lifesaving information. Across this continent, comprehensive sexual education is opposed by traditional conservative forces. But we must build a movement to make it part of school curriculum and tackle violence against women and children through legislation and the courts,'' said Byanyima.