It’s not good news for Gauteng residents seeking relief from the heatwave over the next few weeks or in the summer months to come — as more than half the municipal pools across the province are closed due to a lack of maintenance, vandalism, budget constraints and water restrictions.
The City of Joburg, which has 38 of its 56 pools open, claims it is improving, year on year, in keeping them open.
In Ekurhuleni, 18 of the 36 pools are open, while Tshwane has closed all 23 municipal pools due to the ongoing water crisis and Level 1 water restrictions. In Johannesburg, a new pool in Florida North is expected to open within the next two weeks, increasing the number of usable pools to 39.
City spokesperson Nthatisi Modingoane said the number of pools open this year was up on last year, when 31 pools were operating. “This reflects a significant year-on-year improvement in service delivery and accessibility,” he said.
Eighteen pools remained closed due to:
- Ageing infrastructure, with many facilities requiring extensive repairs that exceeded routine maintenance budgets;
- Technical issues, such as malfunctioning water filtration systems, structural damage and leaking pool linings;
- Delays, in repairs, due to contractor shortages; and
- Vandalism, which has seennine pools damaged.
“Efforts are ongoing to address these issues. However, some repairs may extend into the next financial year due to budgetary and logistical constraints,” said Modingoane.
An amount of R7m was allocated for swimming pool operations in the current financial year, with half already spent. Pools needing extensive repairs would be upgraded in future financial years.
Modingoane said vandalism remained a challenge. To stop it happening, the city had:
- Strengthened community engagement initiatives to foster a sense of ownership and accountability;
- Enhanced security measures, such as improved surveillance and physical barriers, to prevent unauthorised access and damage; and
- Appointed lifeguards as seasonal workers.
Nine pools would not be opened due to vandalism. A pool in Eldorado Park was demolished in 2022 due to severe vandalism.
The Sunday Times reported last week how about 100 fed-up swimmers and residents in Lenasia held a protest outside the closed Greyville municipal pool. The pool is home to the Atlantis Swimming Club, which has about 70 members, but also teaches about 600 pupils from two local primary schools to swim.
The club’s head coach, Julie Cassim, said about 30 of her swimmers were training at a local gym, but that wasn’t ideal because lanes were clogged and the water was too hot. “If we don’t have a pool to train in by January, we’re in trouble,” she said.
Greyville was where swimmers were hospitalised after staff poured acid and chlorine into the pool during training in 2022.
Modingoane said 19 pools would open once maintenance was completed for the 2024/2025 season.
The only heated indoor Olympic-sized pool in Gauteng, located in Boksburg North, remains closed after three years due to budget constraints
— Ekurhuleni spokesperson Zweli Dlamini
Ekurhuleni spokesperson Zweli Dlamini said several maintenance projects were completed during the off-season. “However, challenges persist. The only heated indoor Olympic-sized pool in Gauteng, located in Boksburg North, remains closed after three years due to budget constraints.”
But the Van Dyk Park pool in Boksburg, closed since early 2023, has been reopened. The Vosloorus, Thokoza and Alra Park pools were being restored.
With vandalism continuing to strain the city’s finances and hinder development, Dlamini urged communities to collaborate with the authorities to help solve the problem.
Tshwane spokesperson Selby Bokaba said the budget for the 2023/2025 financial year was R5,1m, and maintenance of the pools would be ongoing, irrespective whether the pools were open or not.The city had also been affected by vandalism, with two swimming pools severely damaged.
In KwaZulu-Natal, eThekwini municipality lists 33 of it’s 54 swimming pools as operational, but spokesperson Gugu Sisilana said the figure was actually 42. “The municipality is faced with budgetary constraints in terms of rehabilitating all these facilities,” he said.
“The city has taken a phase-in approach ... to open more swimming pools, such as the Newlands, Fairwood, Balkumar Singh and Inanda pools. We’re planning to reopen the Rochdale pool in Seacow Lake, which should also serve as an additional alternative swimming pool facility in the northern region,” said Sisilana.
In Cape Town, the recreation and parks department is staggering the reopening of public swimming pools to accommodate repairs and maintenance. Thirty-seven out of 38 pools will be open for summer. “Despite the challenges posed by ageing infrastructure, we will see 37 pools reopen in phases, providing safe, quality recreational spaces for residents,” said community services and health MMC Patricia van der Ross.
Ten pools were operating last week: Long Street, Atlantis, Blue Downs, Kuils River Resort, Elsies River, Parow North, Muizenberg, Retreat, Newlands and Zandvlei Caravan Park, while Athlone, Hanover Park, Parow Valley, Bellville Central, Emthonjeni, Delft, Mnandi, Eastridge, Lentegeur, Langa, Kensington, Observatory, Sea Point, Monwabisi Resort, Morningstar, Bonteheuwel and Trafalgar were scheduled to open by today.
Manenberg, Goodwood, Bellville South, Strand, Khayelitsha, Westridge, Browns Farm, Ravensmead, Ruyterwacht and Wynberg were all due to open between tomorrow and December 31.
Vulindlela Swimming Pool in Gugulethu is closed “due to planned redevelopment”, said the city.
• Additional reporting by Mfundo Mkhize and Kim Swartz
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