The DA in eThekwini says poo and pools are to blame for the worst tourism season in eThekwini history.
In a statement lambasting the municipality, the party was concerned about the city’s severe decline in local tourism.
It said Durban “portrayed a bleak image of the city’s performance over the December holiday season”. Tourists fled “the sewerage-infested beaches of Durban in search of a better-run and managed experience in the Cape.”
DA’s eThekwini caucus whip: economic development and planning, Sakhile Mngadi, said record low hotel occupancy rates across all major hotel chains; a decrease in overnight visitors of over 300 000 in that period compared to 2021/22; and empty beaches during peak season are all causes for concern about the city’s brand and the economic effects this decline has on local businesses and revenue collection.
“What is evident is that the city’s inability to manage the sewerage issue, along with the city’s lacklustre response to the pool crisis, has knocked eThekwini off its pedestal as the country’s premier tourism destination. The resulting economic turbulence will cost the city’s revenue-generating capacity millions in missed collections if businesses shrink or close down completely,” Mngadi said.
Mngadi also said that while other metros are well on the road to recovery from Covid-19, this research presented at the economic development and planning committee shows that eThekwini is struggling.
The eThekwini Municipality was contacted for comment.
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