Lungani Zungu
The internationally-acclaimed Durban theme park, uShaka Marine World, looks normal from the outside, but a terrible stench breezes through the inside.
For weeks, waste from the theme park has not been collected, leading to an ungodly smell coming from the bins that were filled to the brim with rotten food.
A source who works at uShaka told Scrolla.Africa that this was because of an ongoing squabble over the waste collection tender.
The trash continues to pile high and rot, as park administrators are yet to appoint a contractor to clean it up.
“This cannot go on like this. There must be a solution to this crisis. The restaurants are suffering as people are going to other places,” said the worker.
uShaka had been attracting hordes of both local and international visitors since it was formed in 2004 at a cost of R750 million.
Thrill seekers used to travel from far and wide to see the park’s collection of marine life including dolphins and sharks.
Several restaurant owners now confirmed that the waste collection crisis fended off visitors to the park.
“Our businesses are suffering here. We are victims of things we are not part of,” said one restaurant owner who did not want to be named.
Scrolla.Africa visited the park, and found that its bins were full of rotting food.
uShaka has eight sections: uShaka Sea World, uShaka Wet ‘n Wild, uShaka Sea Animal Encounters Island, uShaka Beach, uShaka Village Walk, uShaka Kids World, uShaka Dangerous Creatures and Chimp & Zee.
“I came here last week, I found this smell. I came back this week, it’s still here,” said Allan Smith, a visitor at the park.
“I can’t stand this.”
uShaka has contributed more than R2 billion to the provincial GDP since its formation.
But in recent years, it has struggled to stay afloat.
The park got a R160-million lifeline from eThekwini Municipality to save it from collapsing.
Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda said uShaka was facing critical financial challenges even before the Covid-19 pandemic.
Naven Naidoo, uShaka manager, referred all questions to the communications team.
Scrolla.Africa sent questions but did not get any response.
eThekwini also did not respond to questions sent to its communication desk.
