- Recent rains have left Milnerton, Bloubergstrand, and surrounding beaches strewn with plastic debris and discarded waste, prompting environmental concerns and questions about City promises.
- Despite plans in the 2018 budget for litter traps, which were later removed, community activists like Caroline Marx are advocating for their implementation to manage the ongoing pollution issues effectively.
- As Spring tides exacerbate litter accumulation along the coastline, local authorities and environmental groups are urging public vigilance and proactive measures to protect marine environments.
In the aftermath of recent rains, Milnerton, Bloubergstrand and surrounding beaches paint a distressing picture – strewn with litter from plastic debris to discarded waste washed ashore.
Environmentalists say despite promises made by the City of Cape Town of litter traps in the 2018 budget they remain absent, removed by an official citing easier methods of litter collection from surrounding beaches.
As the community grapples with the environmental impact and questions linger about accountability, the shoreline stands as a stark reminder of the ongoing battle against marine pollution and the urgent need for sustainable solutions.
Caroline Marx, an environmental activist and creator of Facebook group ReThinkTheStink, said now is a good time for the City to implement the litter traps, especially when there is litter as far as the eye can see.
“All this trash on Milnerton Beach was washed out of the Black/Salt River by the rains,” Marx posted via social media.
“Where are the promised litter traps? These were in the 2018 budget, but were removed by an official who felt it was easier to collect litter from surrounding beaches.”
In August 2022, the City together with its partners Shark Spotters and Pristine Earth Collective, installed eight litter nets at stormwater outlets located in close proximity to beaches in Sea Point.
Yet no litter traps have been installed at Milnerton Beach, which is known for litter washing ashore after heavy rains.
READ | Lack of clean-up crews cited for increased piles of waste washing ashore popular Cape Town beaches
A litter trap is in place to capture and manage a large volume of litter that comes down the river from an under-serviced informal settlement.
This beach is also known as a waste hot spot, and weekly beach clean-ups are done by Save a Fishie’s Zoë Prinsloo.
She once told TygerBurger that the litter problem at Milnerton Lagoon Beach seems to persist. The community should come together to protect the shores, Prinsloo said.
“Our beach clean-ups are crucial, but we must also strive for long-term sustainability and responsible waste management. Together, we can build a cleaner and healthier environment for future generations to enjoy.”
Prinsloo invited residents, schools and companies to get involved in clean-ups. Contact save.a.fishie@gmail.com to sponsor clean-ups or volunteer.
Spring tide
Residents in the area say the recent litter increase on various beaches between Melkbosstrand, Bloubergstrand and Milnerton is due to Spring tide.
Last week the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) and emergency services appealed to the public to be cautious around the country’s coastlines as a Spring tide was expected.
“Spring tides pose a potential hazard to bathers around the coastline, especially during the outgoing tide,” it said. “With school vacation in full swing we are appealing to coastal water users to be cautious during this full-moon Spring-tide phase and the effect the Spring tide has around the coast.”
READ | NSRI and City emergency services issue caution for coastal activities during spring tide
Bathers, boaters, paddlers, sailors, shore-line anglers and coastal hikers are urged to be careful around the coastline as the full-moon Spring tide causes the two daily high tides to be higher than normal and the two daily low tides to be lower than normal.
This Spring tide peaked on Saturday 22 June. Its effect will be noticeable on the coastline, increasing in intensity towards the full-moon peak on Saturday and then gradually declining in intensity towards the middle of next week.
Zahid Badroodien, Mayco member for water and sanitation says a litter grid is installed at the Erica Road stormwater outfall to catch solid waste before it enters the natural system.
“The City’s Water and Sanitation Directorate also has teams who manually clean up litter biweekly with additional ward allocation funds to keep up the area clean.
“The City’s Water and Sanitation planners have identified possible locations for additional litter booms to be installed to prevent solid waste from travelling downstream and polluting the watercourse,” he says.
The study of these locations will be shared once finalised.
“Please also note that during heavy rainfall, such as that experienced in June, litter from within the catchment is washed down the stormwater system (including the rivers) in greater volumes than the various prevention measures are designed to handle,” he says.
The City appeals to residents to do their part to keep canals and waterways clean, and prevent pollution from ending up in streams.
