Durban — The Oceans 8 Charity Swim board announced the postponement of the Oceans 8 Charity Swim, scheduled for the start of November, due to the water at eThekwini’s beaches having high levels of E. coli.
In a Facebook post accompanied by a statement, the Oceans 8 Charity Swim board said it was devastated that it could not proceed with the event this year, but taking into account the safety of the swimmers, the integrity of the event and the reputation of their “amazing” sponsors' brands, they have had to make the heartbreaking decision to postpone the event to June 16-18, 2023.
“Our grateful thanks to the incredible swimmers and donors who have already raised R334 800.16!!! Looking forward to more swimmers signing up and growing the fundraising in 2023 so that the 14 incredible charities benefiting from these funds are able to do even more to make a difference in our country.”
In the statement, the Oceans 8 Charity Swim board said after much deliberation, consultation with experts, and feedback from swimmers and sponsors, they have had to postpone the Oceans 8 Charity Swim once again due to the uncertainty around water quality.
The board said it was sure people were following the news regarding the closure of Durban beaches due to high E. coli levels since the April floods.
It said that unfortunately, due to the floods’ devastating impact on sewer infrastructure in the city, the water quality in the river systems was still “dismal” and this has an impact on the beaches.
“We have been following independent water quality results closely in order to make a decision on the way forward with the swim, and although Point Beach often has the least negative impact from the situation, it has still been unpredictable.
“We considered all the options to ensure first and foremost the safety of the swimmers, but also the integrity of the Oceans 8 event itself, and reputation of the sponsors’ brands.
“Whilst the beaches are currently reading an acceptable level of Escherichia coli (E. coli) and a moderate level of enterococcus (indicators of faecal contamination from humans and other warm-blooded animals), the anticipated rains could change that very quickly due to the poor state of the rivers and the as yet unrepaired wastewater treatment plants, and it is unfair to the out-of-town participants and sponsors to wait until the last minute to make this decision.
“The inaugural Oceans 8 Charity Swim will therefore take place on the 16th-18th June 2023. We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience that this rescheduling may cause,” the board’s statement read.
“Looking forward to enjoying an epic event with you next year!” the board concluded.
Adopt-a-River, an environmental conservation organisation, said: “All the devastating effects and seriousness of the sewage crisis. Another event postponed. Further disruptions to tourism, sport, recreation and growth!
“Not to mention the daily impact on the environment and health and well-being.”
Adopt-a-River also brought to the attention of the eThekwini Municipality Department of Water and Sanitation and Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs, that a huge crisis was looming.
Daily News