Identikidz growth points to parental trust
20 January 2026
The programme, implemented by the City’s Community Services and Health Directorate, is aimed at keeping young children safe on beaches. It drew to a close this past weekend. Close to 130 000 children were tagged during the festive season and the busiest participating beaches were Strand, Muizenberg and Strandfontein.
The Identikidz Programme, was first introduced in 2016 and is coordinated by the Community, Arts and Culture Development Department, registered 129 377 children at participating beaches this holiday season, compared to just more than 124 500 the previous season.
The annual child safety intervention kicked off on 15 December 2025 and drew to a close on Sunday, 18 January 2026.
Identikidz gives caregivers the option to register their children for added peace of mind while enjoying their beach days. It is implemented at 15 of Cape Town’s busiest beaches over the festive season, as well as Maiden’s Cove on Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.
For its last outing this past weekend, 53 officials and 159 Expanded Public Works Programme staff members registered 4 794 children. The busiest beaches were Strand (831), Muizenberg (674) and Strandfontein (594), with no children lost.
For the season there were 227 reunions, while five children were handed over to the Department of Social Development (DSD) as their caregivers were not located by end of the beach day, compared to 256 reunions and 11 handovers to DSD last year.
The programme has also grown with 133 730 tagged during 2023/2024 (the first full season after lockdown) and 124 582 during the 2024/2025 season.
‘Identikidz has been a resounding success in keeping our younger bathers safe. Our beaches were busy and the programme delivered in providing that extra layer of protection. To the staff who were at their posts day in and day out, I extend my sincere appreciation for your efforts. Thank you also to the thousands of parents who trusted the programme to participate and register their children.
‘With more hot days to come, we remind parents and caregivers to keep an eye on younger children, especially over weekends when you’re visiting the beach or pools. We encourage everyone to continue to put safety first and to remember the four rules of drowning prevention,’ said Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services and Health, Councillor Francine Higham.
A reminder that the four golden rules of drowning prevention are:
- Swim only between the lifeguards’ red and yellow flags at beaches
- Do not swim under the influence of alcohol
- Be alert to the dangers of rip currents
- Actively supervise children at all times, especially around water
To learn more about the City’s water safety efforts, visit www.thesafezone.co.za
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Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office
