KZN can expect more giant waves
Greg Dardagan
October 05 2007 at 08:23AM

The giant surf that pounded Durban's coastline in March this year caused damage estimated at R115-million - and it will take at least another two years before the city's beaches and infrastructure are fully repaired.

This figure does not include damage suffered to private property, which would push the estimate significantly higher.

And the bad news is that surf of similar force and intensity - or even greater - can be expected within the next few years.

This is according to Andrew Mather, the Project Executive of Coastal Policy for the eThekwini Municipality, who spoke at a Big Wave breakfast attended by about 400 people at the Hellenic Community Centre in Durban North on Thursday.

'Our coastline has been significantly altered'
Mather is reading for his PhD in environmental science at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, with special reference to the rising sea level along the South African coast.

"If one takes the entire KwaZulu-Natal coastline, the estimate of damage is R400-million to R500 million," he said.

"On April 10, the damage in the Durban area was estimated at R51-million. This increased to R97 million late in August and a few weeks ago, it had risen to R115-million."

Mather said the KwaZulu-Natal coast was hit by cyclones in 1984, 1997 and this year.

"We can thus expect an event of a similar or even greater magnitude within the next decade," he said.

"This year's cyclone, on March 19, was caused by a low-pressure cell being trapped off the KwaZulu-Natal coast for two days by two high pressure cells.

"Swells of up to 8,5m were registered off Durban and at Richards Bay they reached 14m. Surf levels reached 1,74m above sea level.

"Our coastline has been significantly altered."

Mather said Durban's sea level was rising by about 2,7mm a year.

The Coastal Management Act, which is before parliament, would introduce compulsory shoreline and coastal management. The decision to be made was whether to protect the present coastline or retreat, he said.

A national 10m setback or contour line was being considered, within which no development would be allowed. However, some of the present coastline development infringed this line and would have to be dealt with.

"The policy being considered is one of: 'What the sea erodes, the state claims.' This means that such land will revert to the state with no compensation," said Mather.

o This article was originally published on page 7 of The Mercury on October 05, 2007