City services gear up for busy beach days

23 December 2024

While it was a quiet weekend ahead of the major public holidays, the City of Cape Town’s services are gearing up for an influx of beachgoers and visitors to public swimming pools.

This past weekend the Identikidz programme, coordinated by the City’s Community, Arts and Culture Development Department, tagged 10 756 children across 15 beaches, while nine lost children were reunited with their families.

Strand beach was the busiest with 1 789 children tagged, followed by Mnandi (1 501) and Muizenberg (1 093).

‘I want to encourage parents to continue making use of this service. We can never have too many layers of protection for our youngest and most vulnerable beachgoers. The beaches will be much busier in the next few weeks with predicted temperature increases and the many public holidays coming up. As soon as you get to the beach, find the Identikidz registration desks and get your little ones tagged,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services and Health, Councillor Patricia van der Ross.

Staff at the Identikidz registration desks will:

With the permission of parents or caretakers, register children and issue them with an identification tag/wrist band. Contact details are confidential and only used when the child is lost
Assist with the reunification of a lost or displaced child
Work closely with the provincial Department of Social Development, the City’s enforcement agencies and the South African Police Service to ensure the safety and reunification of a lost or displaced child with their family.

There were no fatal drownings reported this past weekend, but alcohol consumption on beaches remains a major headache.

‘Our beaches are the place to be this festive season for a summer holiday of fun in the sun, but we cannot abdicate all responsibility in the name of celebration. Alcohol remains illegal on our beaches. Our lifeguards are there to ensure bathers are safe, but often find they have to deal with intoxicated people in and out of the water. This puts everyone at risk as lifeguards have their attention diverted and drunk parents tend not to keep an eye on their children. Your safety, and that of your family and friends, on the beach is first and foremost your own responsibility,’ said Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services and Health, Councillor Patricia van der Ross.

Since the beginning of December there has been one fatal drowning (on 12 December at Strand beach) and six non-fatal drownings.

‘Lifeguards are on duty, but our bathing public have a role to play. Lifeguards cannot do it alone and it’s time each one of us do our part to ensure the safety of everyone,’ added Councillor Van der Ross

The City would like to remind the public of four golden rules to be cognisant of when in and around water:

Always swim at a beach with lifeguards on duty, and between their red and yellow flags
Do not leave children unsupervised in or around water
Do not swim under the influence of alcohol
Beware of rip currents. If you're caught in a current, try to stay calm and signal for help

More details on lifeguarding schedules are available here: https://bit.ly/CT-Beaches-Lifeguard-Schedule

End

Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office