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The Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism has today (Friday, 20 October 2006) awarded Blue Flag status to 23 beaches at the annual Blue Flag ceremony held at Bay of Plenty beach, Durban in KwaZulu-Natal. A Blue Flag is an international annual award given to beaches that meet EXCELLENCE in the areas of safety, amenities, cleanliness and environmental standards.
The Blue Flag campaign is one of the flagship programmes implemented by the Department under the Coast Care programme, an initiative to implement the White Paper for Sustainable Coastal Development. The campaign was officially launched in South Africa in October 2001, ‘and has since grown significantly and steadily’, according to Dr Naomi Mdzeke, Chief Director responsible for Integrated Coastal Management in the department. Reflecting on success of the campaign Mdzeke said “In October 2001, we only had 3 full status beaches and a handful of pilot beaches. Today we see that 23 beaches receiving full Blue Flag status and many more are becoming pilot beaches working towards accreditation for the next season”.
“As we celebrate South Africa’s achievements in Blue Flag we never lose sight of the achievement that South Africa was the first country outside of Europe to be granted the right to implement Blue Flag, which in Europe has become a recognised eco-label, assuring beach goers that these beaches meet standards of excellence within certain criteria”, Mdzeke said.
South African beaches continue to achieve world-class standards and an ever-increasing number of beaches are now flying the international eco-label, the Blue Flag. Local authorities participating in Blue Flag report the following advantages from their Blue Flag beaches: an increase in visitors, improved behaviour on the part of beachgoers, local businesses use Blue Flag for promotional purposes, property in areas adjacent to Blue Flag beaches are being marketed as being in proximity to such a beach, and beach visitors are happy to be visiting a well cared-for, world-class beach.
The Blue Flag campaign is currently run in 42 countries globally and interest in the campaign continues to grow. There are now almost 3,500 Blue Flag beaches and marinas around the world. In South Africa, the campaign is run by WESSA (Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa) on behalf of the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT).
The following beaches received full Blue Flag accreditation for the 2006/7 season:
- Bronze beach, Umhlanga
- Umhlanga Rocks Main beach
- North beach, Durban
- Bay of Plenty, Durban
- South beach, Durban
- Anstey’s beach on the Bluff in Durban
- Addington beach, Durban
- Lucien beach, Kzn South Coast
- Ramsgate Main beach
- Marina beach, Southbroom
- Gonubie beach, East London
- Kelly’s beach, Port Alfred
- Wells Estate, Port Elizabeth
- Humewood beach, Port Elizabeth
- King’s beach, Port Elizabeth
- Dolphin beach, Jeffrey’s Bay
- Lappiesbaai beach, Stilbaai
- Grotto beach, Hermanus
- Kleinmond beach, near Hermanus
- Hawston beach, near Hermanus
- Bikini beach, Gordon’s Bay
- Mnandi Beach, Strandfontein Cape Town
- Clifton 4th beach, Cape Town
The Blue Flag event marks the end of the Department’s National Marine Week celebration which seeks to create awareness about our marine and coastal environments.
Issued by the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism
Contact: Blessing Manale, Chief Director Communications (Acting)
Cell: 083 3812 939
Visit our website: www.deat.gov.za
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