There was a palpable sense of euphoria among many residents of the far northern KwaZulu-Natal village of St Lucia as they watched millions of litres of fresh water pouring out of South Africa’s biggest estuarine lake earlier this month, followed by a major influx of salt water from the Indian Ocean.
Social media platforms were abuzz with “thumbs up” and “awesome” emoticons as locals, anglers and tourism operations congratulated the iSimangaliso Wetland Park Authority and civic leaders for finally removing a berm of sand which had blocked the lake mouth for several years.
Some tour operators said they were worried that boat-based hippo and crocodile watching tours were under threat unless the mouth was breached to reduce muddy water sediments and reed growth after a prolonged period of mouth closure. (Photo: Tony Carnie)