Durbanites should clean up their act - Durban Solid Waste removes 1 500 to 1 800 refuse bags from the beachfront a day. That almost doubles in the holiday season.
Deputy head of Strategic and New Development of eThekwini Municipality, Robert Abbu, said the biggest mess was made on Saturday nights when the beachfront, from Blue Lagoon to South Beach, turned into an open air party.
Showing off their latest cars and accessories, or having a braai, the people partied until the early hours.
Some die-hards are still there when the cleaning crew arrives at 5.30am.
There was little regard for notices prohibiting alcohol, fires, littering and public disturbance.
Abbu said the whole area was cleaned up as early as possible - normally by 7am. The area was also serviced by a late shift that operated from 3pm to 9pm.
This thankless job does not merely entail cleaning the waste bins. The bins are either ignored or used as makeshift braai stands.
Shelter
Some movable bins are even used for shelter by vagrants.
Although drinking in public is against the law, this is often ignored. Empty bottles of alcoholic beverages are strewn around the beachfront area.
Apart from the bottles, the partygoers also drop their food take-away wrappers anywhere.
Abbu said the depot responsible for cleaning the area had a staff of 75.
"They clean the beachfront daily from 6am to 2.30pm," he said.
Durban Solid Waste staff are supplemented by a private contractor who cleans Snell Parade, from uShaka to Blue Lagoon and Mahatma Gandhi (Point) Road.
Abbu said the cleaners were performance-based employees.
"They get paid to clean the area to a set standard and are penalised if they do not," he said.
An extra 800 to 1 000 litter bins were placed throughout the area over the peak festive season with more for special events.
Additional staff were used for special events in addition to the normal weekend complement of 47.
Abbu said many peak season bins had been left at sites that warranted extra bins such as Blue Lagoon.
Despite the extra bins, Blue Lagoon and other areas along the beachfront still looked like a war zone early on Sunday mornings.
Apart from the trash that must be picked up, streets and paved areas have to be washed in "problem areas" such as walkways leading to the paddling pools and some lanes off Mahatma Gandhi Road and Gillespie Street.
Abbu said the department was involved in education programmes, visiting schools and telling children why it was important not to litter.
"But if their parents litter, they follow their example.
"The public should take responsibility for their environment and use the facilities provided," he said.