The eThekwini Municipality has noted with disappointment media coverage insinuating that the Ulster and Glasgow Warriors rugby teams fell ill because of having been exposed to Durban’s tap and sea water.

These reports are devoid of any facts to support the assertions made. The latest test results show that there are no issues with our tap water quality.

 

The official statement from the United Rugby Championship makes no mention of the cause of the illness being Durban’s water, so media reports are being based on malicious and baseless rumours.

 

There are no quality issues with tap water in Umhlanga where the teams stayed. If there were then many residents of Umhlanga would have fallen ill as well. This is not the case, so which Durban tap water did the teams, and only the teams, consume which would have made professional athletes fall sick, but not ordinary residents in Umhlanga? 

 

On the issue of swimming, the municipality has been transparent about which beaches are safe for swimming and which are not. It beggars belief that international rugby teams who are in the country for important fixtures would have swum in beaches that are closed for swimming. The teams and their management would have had to be extremely reckless to do this. We doubt that this was the case, which again begs the question: where does the journalists’ assertion that the teams fell ill because of Durban’s water come from? We challenge these media houses to provide evidence of the wild claims they make. 

 

This sort of sensationalist reporting causes untold harm to the city, its tourism industry and those who rely on this sector for their livelihoods. It is as irresponsible as it is dishonest.

 

The municipality does not expect the media to be its praise singers, but it  certainly expects journalists to report truthfully. This is not the case with these media reports, and so the city rejects them with the contempt they deserve. 

 

ENDS

Issued by eThekwini Municipality.