Tshwane's public swimming pools set to reopen after delays
Tshwane MMC for Environment and Agriculture Management, Obakeng Ramabodu, announced that the city will kick off the reopening of public swimming pools on September 4.
Image: Supplied / City of Tshwane
The City of Tshwane has announced it will reopen public swimming pools on Thursday for the Spring season after politicians and residents alike complained about the delays in reopening.
The pools were initially closed in 2024 due to water shortages.
Although the city planned to reopen them on September 1, a delay in chlorine delivery scuppered the timeline, dampening the excitement for Spring Day celebrations.
In a bid to force the city to reopen pools, the DA announced its plans to propose a motion to the council regarding the reopening of municipal swimming pools.
The party slammed the prolonged closure, saying what was meant to be a temporary measure has become a permanent problem, leaving residents high and dry.
City spokesperson Lindela Mashigo cited unforeseen supply chain issues and the lengthy chlorine distillation process as the reasons behind the delay.
He apologised for the unexpected delay and assured that all hands are on deck to get most pools up and running by mid-September 2025.
On Wednesday, Member of the Mayoral Committee for Environment and Agriculture Management Obakeng Ramabodu announced that the city will kick off the reopening of public swimming pools from September 4 after a negotiated effort with Rand Water to adhere to level 1 water restrictions.
The city is set to reopen some of its public swimming pools at 12pm on Thursday in Sunnyside, Mamelodi East, and Mamelodi West, to be followed by the ones in Danville, Saulsville, and Atteridgeville on Friday.
Ramabodu said: “We are working to ensure that all public swimming pools are reopened with dedicated inspections by the mayoral executive. In addition, the city will carry out minor refurbishments at all regional swimming pools to improve their customer offering to residents.”
He urged residents to follow all precautionary measures when accessing public swimming pools.
“Instructions from lifeguards and municipal officials stationed at these facilities should strictly be complied with to promote the safety of the residents. All our facilities are cashless,” he said.
The city said it has already made significant progress in preparing its pools for opening, including refilling the basins, repairing infrastructure, and upgrading the surrounding facilities.