Cape Town’s public swimming pools are entering a new phase of summer operations following a festive season that saw thousands of residents and visitors flock to municipal facilities across the city.
With schools reopening, most community swimming pools will now scale back to weekend-only operations, ending a peak summer period that concluded with no drownings recorded at City-run pools.
High demand
According to the City of Cape Town, 36 of the city’s 37 swimming pools were operational during the festive season, with 31 community pools opening daily to meet high demand.
Daily operations at these facilities will officially end on Sunday, 18 January.
From Monday, 19 January until 22 March 2026, community pools will be closed during the week and operate on the following schedule:
- Fridays: 14:00 to 18:00
- Saturdays and Sundays: 10:00 to 18:00
Pools will return to daily operations from 23 March to 6 April during the next school holiday period, before closing for the season on Tuesday, 7 April.
Exceptions and Facility Updates
The City confirmed that group bookings on weekdays may still be accommodated at community pools, subject to approval by facility managers and the availability of lifeguards.
Meanwhile, three indoor pools – Blue Downs, Long Street and Strand – as well as Sea Point Swimming Pool will continue operating daily.
The indoor pool at Retreat remains temporarily closed due to repairs to its filtration system and is expected to reopen by 23 January.
High Attendance Over Festive Period
Several facilities experienced exceptionally high turnout during the festive season:
- Sea Point Swimming Pool recorded the highest single-day attendance, with 3 101 visitors on 28 December 2025, including more than 700 pensioners
- Sea Point also logged the highest number of adult visitors, with 1 500 adults on 26 December 2025
- Khayelitsha Swimming Pool recorded the highest number of children, with just over 1 600 visitors aged between three and 16 on 29 December 2025
Safety Success, But Challenges Remain
Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services and Health, Councillor Francine Higham, praised staff for ensuring safe swimming conditions during an extremely busy period.
“There were no fatal or non-fatal drownings recorded at municipal swimming pools, a remarkable feat considering just how popular these facilities were with patrons enjoying a day out,” Higham said.
However, she noted that the season was not without challenges.
“Theft and vandalism of City infrastructure remains an ongoing problem. We also experienced instances of illegal access and trespassing after hours, which pose safety risks and threaten community assets,” she said.
Coastal Drownings Down Significantly
Beyond public pools, the City reported a marked reduction in drowning incidents along the coastline during the peak season.
Five fatal drownings were recorded, with two cases still under police investigation. All fatalities occurred outside designated lifeguard-protected zones.
This represents a significant improvement compared to previous seasons, which saw 11 fatalities in 2024/25, nine in 2023/24, and 15 in 2022/23.
The City also recorded 33 non-fatal drowning incidents, where lifeguard intervention prevented potential loss of life.
Lifeguard services at designated beaches will continue daily from 10:00 to 18:00, unchanged.
Call for Continued Vigilance
While the festive rush has eased, the City cautioned that summer conditions persist and urged residents to continue swimming responsibly.
“Let’s finish this summer the way we started it, by looking out for one another,” Higham said.
