Some 332 children were separated from their parents as beaches in the eThekwini Municipality were packed to capacity in the past week.
More than 40,000 armbands were issued to children on Durban beaches from December 29 to January 1, and about 332 kids got separated from their parents on New Year's Day.
The municipality said 328 of those were reunited with their parents, while four were then taken to overnight facility as their parents could not be found.
The municipality said around three-million people visited beaches on the Ethekwini coastline over the New Year long weekend.
With the help of law enforcement officers, metro police and the South African Police Service (SAPS) who were out in full force, the municipality was happy to announce that no major incidents took place over the long weekend.
"The troublemakers were dealt with decisively, and we issued over 860 warnings for drinking in public, fighting, illegal braais and bathing in restricted areas," said Canham.
Canham said that the behaviour of all those who were dealt with was unacceptable on the city's beaches.
"A further 161 people were charged for unlicensed vehicles and parking in prohibited areas including motorcycle lanes and disabled parking bays," he added.
The swift response of our law enforcement officers also resulted in the arrest of eight people for cellphone and handbag theft, and some were caught with drugs in their possession," said Canham.
The municipality has urged parents to look after children when visiting the beach and ensure that children are taken to a childminder for tagging –– which includes the name of the child and the contact details of the parents.