Supplied
Shipping containers, food and medicine continue to wash up along beaches in Algoa Country from East London down the coast to the Garden Route.
Earlier this month, thousands of bottles of medicine containers washed up along beaches in East London and Port Alfred with more washing ashore this week.
The Buffalo City Municipality (BCM) urged members of the public not to collect or consume any of the pharmaceutical products washed up on beaches.
The medicines retrieved so far are anti-inflammatories, medicine for diabetes and even pills to treat people with liver cirrhosis.
According to the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) pharmaceuticals have now washed ashore on the East Coast near Port St Johns, Port Alfred, Kenton, Cannon Rocks and Boknes since the 2nd of September.
Spokesperson Tebogo Ramatjie says in recent weeks there have been several incidents involving the loss of containers at sea, including those involving the MV Benjamin Franklin, MV CMA CGM Belem, MB Maersk Stepnica, MV Rio Grande Express, MSC Antonia and the MV Ultra Galaxy.
She says all these ships suffered a cargo shift left abandoned eventually running aground off the West Coast.
In Nelson Mandela Bay Metro (NMBM) goods washed up along Schoenmakerskop while the Kouga Municipality even had biscuits, snacks and chillis scattered on the sand along Paradise Beach.
The latest warnings were issued by the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality (BCMM) in East London and the Garden Route Districts Municipality (GRDM) as goods continue to wash ashore.
BCMM has since set up a temporary drop-off point has been set up at Kayser's Beach as it is suspected that other products may have been taken by individuals living nearby.
Video supplied by BCMM-(strong language)
The South African Police will also conduct patrols and clean-up campaigns.
A spokesperson for the Metro Samkelo Ngwenya says this is done to ensure public safety.
He says bottles of pills were even seen floating in the water at Kidds Beach.
If any products are spotted the public is urged to contact BCM Disaster Management.
1. BCM Beaches: Alen Zealand: 081 027 3677
2. Eastern Cape Human Rights & Missing Persons: Lonwabo Yiliwe: 067 106 3076
3. BCM Disaster Management: Siyabulela Qotsini: 083 427 8197
4. BCM Disaster Management: Lunga Mnxulwa: 072 730 9636
5. BCM Disaster Management: Athi Jack: 068 565 297
Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM)
The Mayor of the GRDM Andrew Stroebel attended a meeting with SAMSA's Incident Management Team (IMT) who believe the products are from the same vessels that lost their cargo due to rough seas.
Mayor Stroebel says the shipping company did appoint a service provider, Spill Tech, to deal with the issues of collection and
disposal of the items along the Garden Route.
He says at the ITM meeting he was informed that some containers could conclude hazardous material as indicated through the vessel's cargo manifest.
Classified as "6.1 cargo" it was packed with 540 kg of fibreglass drums and most likely would have sunk to the bottom of the ocean.
Stroebel says they are communicating with the relevant authorities.
Any sightings of items washing ashore should be reported to the following number: 063 404 2128 and if possible, a pin location of where the items washed ashore should be added.
