Primary schools were in full training at the Joan Harrison pools yesterday despite warnings of acidic water. Hudson Park, Selborne College and Cambridge primary schools were busy in the diving well and two subsidiary pools.But the main Olympic-sized pool was empty, other than two or three bathers, including Unisa third-year law student Karabo Swartbooi and his friend, Yula Brown, who said: “Our eyes are burning. You literally can’t open your eyes underwater.”
Brown added: “I swim here often and today it’s bad.”
Buffalo City Aquatics (BCA) president Ian Schulein said they were informed yesterday the pH levels had come right. “But we want it in writing before we inform our members that they can swim there again.”
The Dispatch visited the pools yesterday, paying R12 at the gate, while scores of scholars paid R9 to an official in a sunny dress and hat at the front door. A teacher complained they were paying to book pool and lane time, and each young athlete had to pay at the door. “We pay twice,” said the teacher.
Inside, feelings among parents and teachers were mixed about the water quality. One mother said she was watching her child in the diving well and any word of sore teeth or eyes and “I am taking him out of there”.
Three parents watched Selborne primary children train. Orrin Leighton, master in charge of water polo at the school, said: “We have been very concerned and we contacted Russel who said they had added substances overnight.
“He said they held a meeting this morning and the water was fine. We don’t know what tests they did. Nobody is complaining, but we don’t use the main pool.”
One parent, sitting in the grandstand watching his nine-year-old train, said the water did not look great but Joan Harrison authorities had told the school the water was “OK”.
Cambridge Junior sports coach Jared Hoole said they planned to use the main pool yesterday, “but the children did complain last week their teeth were feeling funny. We didn’t go back into the pool the next day but we will today. We have been in worse pools where your eyebrows fall out.”
Supervisor Kop was not at the pool. A staff member said he had “gone to the shop”.
No public safety notices were ever issued about the acidity danger and BCM spokesman Keith Ngesi said on Monday a few bags of soda ash were organised by supply chain management to put into the pool.
He said pool chemicals had to be procured for the next three months.
BCM did not respond to questions yesterday. — mikel@dispatch.co.za
Joan Harrison busy despite ‘acidic water’
But the main Olympic-sized pool was empty, other than two or three bathers, including Unisa third-year law student Karabo Swartbooi and his friend, Yula Brown, who said: “Our eyes are burning. You literally can’t open your eyes underwater.”
Brown added: “I swim here often and today it’s bad.”
Buffalo City Aquatics (BCA) president Ian Schulein said they were informed yesterday the pH levels had come right. “But we want it in writing before we inform our members that they can swim there again.”
The Dispatch visited the pools yesterday, paying R12 at the gate, while scores of scholars paid R9 to an official in a sunny dress and hat at the front door. A teacher complained they were paying to book pool and lane time, and each young athlete had to pay at the door. “We pay twice,” said the teacher.
Inside, feelings among parents and teachers were mixed about the water quality. One mother said she was watching her child in the diving well and any word of sore teeth or eyes and “I am taking him out of there”.
Three parents watched Selborne primary children train. Orrin Leighton, master in charge of water polo at the school, said: “We have been very concerned and we contacted Russel who said they had added substances overnight.
“He said they held a meeting this morning and the water was fine. We don’t know what tests they did. Nobody is complaining, but we don’t use the main pool.”
One parent, sitting in the grandstand watching his nine-year-old train, said the water did not look great but Joan Harrison authorities had told the school the water was “OK”.
Cambridge Junior sports coach Jared Hoole said they planned to use the main pool yesterday, “but the children did complain last week their teeth were feeling funny. We didn’t go back into the pool the next day but we will today. We have been in worse pools where your eyebrows fall out.”
Supervisor Kop was not at the pool. A staff member said he had “gone to the shop”.
No public safety notices were ever issued about the acidity danger and BCM spokesman Keith Ngesi said on Monday a few bags of soda ash were organised by supply chain management to put into the pool.
He said pool chemicals had to be procured for the next three months.
BCM did not respond to questions yesterday. — mikel@dispatch.co.za
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