Residents of East London, in the Eastern Cape, are urged to contact authorities, and not collect or consume pharmaceutical products that were spilled over along the coast on Tuesday.
The South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) said a container washed ashore on the East Coast near Port St Johns last week, with loads of pharmaceutical bottles and pills.
These were washed ashore in the Port Alfred, Kenton, Cannon Rocks, and Boknes areas since Monday, 9 September 2024.
A temporary drop-off point was set up at Kysers Beach.
The Buffalo City Municipality, said on Tuesday, the pharmaceuticals must be returned, as a result, law enforcement has had to kick in, with the police (SAPS), conducting patrols and clean-up campaigns along the Buffalo City Beach area.
“This is done as a measure to ensure the safety and well-being of the community, as well as to prevent any potential misuse of these products. In today’s daily search, a bottle containing medical pills was found floating at Kidds Beach, Igoda, not far from where the others were recently found.”
Numbers to contact:
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 2973