1000s head for sun, sea and sand

There will be 19 points of road closure and residents trapped inside secured zones will have to present proof of address and an identity (ID book or driver’s licence).

BCM spokesman Thandy Matebese said proof of address could be in the form of:

l A BCM monthly utility bill;

lAn account with your name and street address, not a post office (PO) box number;

lA letter from a ward councillor stating confirming your street address.

Matebese said BCM did not know how many people went to municipal beaches on New Year’s Day, but said they numbered in the “thousands”.

Extra precautions, including employing more lifeguards and extending their working hours, and road closures, have been put in place for popular beaches such as Eastern Beach, East London, and Second Beach in PSJ.

BCM head of lifeguards BCM Duncan Boyd said: “We have deployed 49 extra lifeguards since the start of December for all our beaches.”

Matebese said lifeguards working at Eastern Beach, Quanza and Orient Beach on New Year’s Day would be on duty from 5am to 8pm as opposed to their normal 7am to 6pm shift.

“There will be one jet ski and one large rubber duck available and in addition there are rescue crafts available from the beaches and fire department.”

Beaches at Bonza Bay, Nahoon, Kidd’s Beach and Kaysers Beach will see lifeguards working a 12-hour 7am-to-7pm shift.

The manager for community services in PSJ, Thandikhaya Mvukuzo, said 30 extra lifeguards had been employed to guard bathing beaches in the town, with the majority based at the popular Second Beach.

Mvukuzo said traffic volumes would be controlled. For instance cars would be redirected from the Second Beach parking area to a sports ground 3km away where they could park. “There will be a boom gate at the Second Beach parking area. We want to keep the area clear for emergency vehicles to get through in case of an incident. There will be taxis available that will transport people from the sports ground to the beach,” said Mvukuzo.

He said a jetski would be on constant patrol beyond the breakers looking for sharks. A large signboard also alerted bathers to the high incidence of shark attacks at Second Beach.

Joint operation centres (JOC) near Eastern Beach and Second Beach will be set up, where emergency response and law enforcement teams comprising the SAPS, municipal police, traffic, emergency medical services and SANDF will operate from.

The Eastern Beach JOC will operate from the Osner Hotel while at Second beach officials will operate from a temporary structure erected near the beach.

Matebese warned: “Municipal breakdown vehicles will be available to tow all illegally parked vehicles. Perpetrators caught drinking alcohol and urinating in public will be dealt with in terms of the metro by-laws.”

Closures in the Quigney and Esplanade on New Years Day are:

lInverleith Terrace;

lCadwallan Street and Aquarium Road;

lLongfellow Street and Marine Terrace;

lMoore Street and Marine Terrace;

lBuffalo Park Drive and Commercial Road;

lAt Buffalo Park on John Baillie Road; McJannet Drive and John Baillie Road;

lLink Road at the Entrance to Marina Glen; and

lMoore Street at John Baillie Road.

Beacon Bay closures: the intersection of Nyala Road and Kiaat Road.

Nahoon: the juncture of Nahoon Reef and Epsom Road, on the Beach Road Rosyth Street intersection.

No parking will be allowed in James Pearce Park in Stirling.

Gonubie closures: Main Road at Quinera Road, Riverside Road at Cane Street, Recreation Road at Meier Street, Main Road at White Street, Oceanway at Smith Street and Quinera Road at Mzamomhle Location. — arethal@dispatch.co.za