BUGS IN TIDAL POOLS UPGRADE
The City says there is an infrastructure investment plan which highlights the need to upgrade existing infrastructure, among other key interventions. TygerBurger asked the City the plans in place to open public swimming pools in the Milnerton and Table View areas. Table View and Lagoon Beach are patrol areas for lifeguards only, as there are identified hotspots for water emergencies. The City will deploy lifeguards at Silwerstroomstrand (bathing area and tidal pool to be covered by lifeguards), Melkbosstrand Main Beach, Big Bay, Milnerton Lighthouse Table View (lifeguards will be stationed here from November onwards) and Milnerton Lagoon Beach.
The City urges visitors to the beach to swim only where and when lifeguards are on duty, between their red and yellow flags designating safe bathing areas. Lifeguards will be stationed at 26 bathing areas between 10:00 and 18:00 daily, until 12 April 2021. “Approximately 330 seasonal beach lifeguards and 290 municipal pool lifeguards have been appointed. “Lifeguards are also supported by a city drowning prevention team, which works very closely with safety and security, the NSRI and Lifesaving Cape Town,” Badroodien added. The City says it will invest approximately R48 million in lifeguard salaries and a further R300 000 on specialised PPE and Covid-19 related training, as part of its drowning prevention project this year. “Over the years, there have been countless drownings in the area with only the National Sea Rescue Institute assisting beachgoers and paddlers.” “We can only visit beaches and have no access to public swimming pools in our area,” Jacques de Villiers says. However, residents in Sunset Beach and Bloubergstrand claim lifeguards are not visible at the beaches. This coverage will be daily, from 10:00 until 18:00, until 12 April 2021,” he said.
“The City, therefore, is currently in the process of recruiting, vetting and training lifeguards and the intention is that they will be deployed from 23 October at certain beaches and tidal pools around the City, based on the drowning prevention plan. Zahid Badroodien, Mayco member for community services and health, says the City plans lifeguard deployment for the coastline annually in line with the school holiday dates. Last year lifeguards were employed in September already.”
Lifeguards should be deployed to every beach, especially now with the holiday and summer season. “Pressure needs to be put on the City of Cape Town, explaining why there is a shortage of lifeguards on beaches.
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