Cape Town swimmers demand public pools stay open seven days a week in summer

A sign at a public participation meeting on the City of Cape Town’s proposed 2026/27 budget. Residents called for pools to be open seven days a week in the summer months. Photo: Matthew Hirsch

• At a City of Cape Town budget public participation meeting on Thursday, residents demanded public pools stay open seven days a week.
• They say pools keep their children off the streets and also serve senior clubs.
• The City says it is not possible to be keep pools open all week due to budget constraints.
• However, usage data from a pilot that extended the number of opening days is being reviewed.

Residents donned swimming caps, goggles and beach towels and held placards that read, “Restore access to community pools seven days a week” and “Fund our pools”. They had come to a public participation meeting at the City of Cape Town’s Wale Street offices on Thursday evening to discuss the City’s proposed 2026/27 budget.

In January, GroundUp reported that the City had backtracked on its decision to close most public swimming pools during the week after an outcry by communities that took the form of letters, petitions and threats to protest.

Community swimming pools are currently closed for the winter season, except indoor swimming pools at Retreat, Blue Downs, Long Street and Strand, along with the Sea Point swimming pool, which are open throughout the year.

Residents say pools are an “affordable and safe” way to keep their children off the streets and they are also used by senior clubs.

Rafiqua Mosaval, who has been part of a swimming club for years at the Trafalgar pool in Woodstock, told those in attendance, “Swimming saved our lives. Swimming also brings out other skills … All we want to do is swim and teach. We’re giving back.”

She said pool policy was being implemented “unjustly” across the City.

“This is not just a recreational issue … This is a health issue,” said Ute Kuhlmann, from the Woodstock Residents Association. She called for pools to be open all week in summer.

She requested a breakdown of the operational budget for pools be made public.

Chloé van Biljon, representing several organisations, said, “We have taken note of the budget allocated to pool renovations for the upcoming year, and we will challenge any pool closures outside of these disclosed projects.”

She said a petition calling for pools to remain open during the week in summer had garnered over 600 signatures.

She said many people in council who make the decisions on pool budgets “have a pool in their very own garden … This is not the case with communities where the pools are located”.

Responding to GroundUp, mayco member for community services and health Francine Higham said, “It is not feasible for all 36 municipal swimming pools across the City to operate seven days a week, due to budget constraint.”

She said the extension of operations from Wednesdays to Sundays from January to April 2026 had cost an additional R18-million, due to the need for increased staff, including lifeguards, access controllers and cashiers. This brings the total annual operational cost for managing the facilities to around R65-million.

“We must carefully balance operational costs across the many community facilities we manage, including parks, sports fields, cemeteries, and civic centres.”

“Demand for community swimming pools declines significantly during the cooler months, with peak usage largely limited to the summer period and school holidays. In this context, it does not represent an efficient use of limited resources to keep all pools open at times when demand is low.”

“That said, the extended operating hours formed part of a pilot project. The usage data collected during that period is currently being reviewed, and where there is clear demand, the possibility of extended hours will be considered,” she said.

She said the City has spent more than R150-million on repairs and maintenance, along with a further R68-million in capital funding, to restore and upgrade swimming pool facilities.

She assured residents at the meeting that repair work at six pools was underway.

“In some cases, it’s completely rebuilding the basin of the pool,” she said.

The City’s draft 2026/27 budget is open for public comment until 30 April.

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