Birha’s mysterious Blue Flag status short-lived
Birha Beach appeared to break a world record this week for having held Blue Flag status for the shortest period in history.
Signboards went up on Wednesday declaring the beach had earned itself the internationally sought-after Blue Flag status.
But by Friday, the red-faced Ngqushwa municipality quietly removed the signs.
It is not clear how the faux pas came about but residents of the rural seaside hamlet are relieved it is sorted out.
Apart from its pristine appearance, the beach has few of the more sophisticated attributes associated with Blue Flag status.
It has no formal security, no ablution blocks, no lifeguards — except during brief peak tourism periods — and no drinking water except from two rainwater tanks raised on rustic platforms donated by thoughtful residents.
According to the Wildlife and Environment Society of SA (Wessa), which is responsible for managing the Blue Flag model in the country, to achieve the status a beach is required to meet 33 different criteria spanning several aspects of coastal management.
These include water quality, environmental education, information and management, and safety and services.
Only 45 swimming beaches in the country have Blue Flag status, of which six are in the Eastern Cape.
Residents who woke up to the signs this week were mystified and somewhat outraged at the shiny new and slightly lopsided signs emblazoned in one corner with the Ngqushwa municipality logo.
The signs prohibited numerous activities the residents enjoy including dog walking, fishing, camping, diving, surfing, scuba diving, skate boarding, cycling, music, boating and — rather bizarrely — the flying of double-stringed kites.
“These signs appeared from nowhere,” said one resident who did not want to be named.
“We were never consulted. We have no idea who might have applied for Blue Flag status for the beach and we cannot imagine how it could have been awarded in the absence of all the criteria required to achieve that status.”
The local chair of the residents’ association, Johan Liesenberg, was equally mystified. “We have no idea how it all came about.” He said he had been inundated with calls from outraged local residents and had immediately set about trying to establish how the sought-after status had been awarded.
He had finally established from a senior manager in the department of economic development, environmental affairs & tourism that the signs should not have been erected as the beach did not qualify for Blue Flag status.
“They were removed this morning,” Liesenberg said on Friday.
He said Birha was an independent community which paid its municipal rates and taxes to Ngqushwa municipality but largely provided its own basic services, from roads maintenance to rubbish collection and maintenance of the rubbish tip.
“This happened with zero consultation and we suddenly found ourselves facing serious restrictions on the beach we all enjoy.”
Repeated attempts to get comment from Wessa, Ngqushwa municipality and the department by phone and e-mail were unsuccessful on Friday.
These signs appeared from nowhere. We have no idea who might have applied for Blue Flag status for the beach