Have a Safe Summer on Cape Town's Beaches

The City of Cape Town urges beach users to assist in making this a safe summer

The City of Cape Town and Lifesaving Western Province (LWP) encourage all beach users to enjoy our beautiful responsibly this summer.

Starting on 1 November 2009 - until 11 April 2010 - lifeguards will voluntarily patrol beaches on weekends and public holidays between 10:00 and 18:00.

The ongoing partnership between the City of Cape Town and LWP will ensure that 115 lifeguards will patrol our beaches daily during the school holidays. In the 2008/2009 summer season lifeguards rescued over 500 people on Cape Town’s beaches and provided First Aid treatment to some 600 persons.

Councillor Gerhard Ras, the Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services, said “The utilisation of Cape Town’s beaches should be regarded as a wonderful privilege to all who have access to the beaches. Let us co-operate to make such amenities safe and enjoyable to all users in maintaining the recommended safety and tolerance rules so that we are blessed with an incident free summer.”

To assist the City in achieving its goal of a drowning-free summer, beach goers must please observe these basic rules:

• Only swim where lifeguards are on duty in the bathing area demarcated by red and yellow flags

• All watercraft users must obey the restrictions at ‘bathing only’ beaches

• Young children should be accompanied by their parents at all times when playing

• Never swim after drinking alcohol

• Should you find yourself in difficulty in the water, remain calm and wave both arms above your head - the internationally recognized distress signal

When planning your trip to the beach please note that lifeguards will be on duty at the following beaches:

Big Bay in Milnerton, Clifton, Camps Bay, Llandudno, Fish Hoek Beach including Clovelly, Dangers, Muizenberg, Sunrise beach, Sonwabe, Strandfontein, Bluewaters, Mnandi, Monwabisi, Macassar, Strand and Kogelbay.

Lifeguards will be on duty weekends only in November 2009, daily between 12 December 2009 and 12 January 2010, weekends only in January, February and March 2010, and daily between 27 March and 11 April 2010.

In addition, the Blue Flag accredited beaches of Clifton Fourth Beach, Camps Bay, Muizenberg Main Beach, Strandfontein Pavilion, Mnandi Beach and Bikini Beach will be guarded daily between 1 December 2009 and 11 April 2010.

The following beaches will have lifeguards on duty during peak periods only: Silwerstroom Resort, Melkbos, Glencairn, St James and Gordon’s Bay.

All organisations, including schools and groups planning visits of 50 people or more to the beach, are requested to contact the local beach manager and the LWP office to ensure that the lifeguards are prepared and on duty.

The beach managers can be contacted at the following telephone numbers:

• Silwerstroom to Blaauwberg - 021 550 7699

• Granger Bay to Camps Bay - 021 465 2029

• Llandudno to Muizenberg - 021 788 1929

• Blue Waters to Mnandi - 021 372 6291

• Macassar - 021 900 4030

• Strand - 021 851 8669

• Gordon’s Bay to Kogelbay - 021 850 4089

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