Cape Town’s public swimming pools shut their doors
· The South African
Cape Town’s swimming season has officially come to an end, with public pools closing and lifeguards going off duty as the city shifts into winter mode.
Following the busy Easter weekend, the City of Cape Town confirmed that seasonal lifeguard services ended on Tuesday, 7 April 2026, marking the close of another summer season.
Visit betsport.cv for more information.
Swimming pools close for winter
And as lifeguards go off duty, community swimming pools across the city will also be closed for the colder months.
However, residents can still use a few year-round facilities, including indoor pools at Retreat, Blue Downs, Long Street, and Strand, as well as the Sea Point swimming pool.
These remain open throughout winter for those keen to keep swimming.
Lifeguards, who play a key role in the city’s drowning prevention efforts, will only return in October 2026, ahead of the next summer season.
Their presence over the past few months has been credited with helping keep beachgoers and swimmers safe during one of the busiest periods of the year.
Safer season recorded
The latest season also brought encouraging safety results. Cape Town recorded its lowest number of fatal drownings in seven years.
Notably:
- No fatal or non-fatal drownings occurred at municipal swimming pools
- No fatal drownings were recorded at designated coastal bathing areas
- 38 non-fatal drownings were reported along the coast, with many incidents prevented from becoming more serious thanks to quick intervention
- Nine fatal drownings were recorded along the coastline, all involving males
With facilities now closed, attention turns to maintenance and improvements. The City is midway through a five-year programme to upgrade its 37 public swimming pools, with several projects already completed.
A further R20 million budget has been proposed for the 2026/27 financial year to fund refurbishments, repairs and ongoing maintenance.
City officials say the downtime is essential to ensure pools are safe, accessible and ready for the next summer season.