The Blue Flag status that was awarded amid substantial fanfare to Boknes beach in Ndlambe is no longer visible in the photograph taken over the recent Easter weekend.
The Blue Flag status that was awarded amid substantial fanfare to Boknes beach in Ndlambe is no longer visible in the photograph taken over the recent Easter weekend.
According to the the Blue Flag website at www.blueflag.org, Boknes beach is currently in season, and should therefore comply with a number of criteria that include environmental education and information, water quality, environmental management as well as safety and services.
Over the festive season last December and January, thousands of holiday makers enjoyed brand new facilities, including clean bathrooms at Boknes beach.
Well trained life-guards were on duty at a clearly demarcated swimming area in the breakers. Other life-guards monitoring the lagoon behind the beach were quick to admonish anyone behaving in a potentially dangerous way so that the whole environment exuded a feeling of safety and professional management.
But beach-goers over Easter were disappointed to find toilets locked with rusty padlocks and no life-guards in sight.
There was no designated swimming area so fishermen were casting their lines in the surf where children were paddling or body-surfing.
Grocott’s Mail called the Ndlambe municipal spokesperson for comment but he said he was not aware of the situation and therefore did not comment.
