Johannesburg postpones opening of municipal pools until October 1
Johannesburg authorities have postponed the opening of municipal swimming pools for the 2026/27 season from September 1 to October 1. The city’s Community Development Department said this was necessary to bring the facilities into compliance with health, safety and operational requirements, Daily Maverick reports.
Tapelo Amad, the city’s Member of the Mayoral Committee for Community Development, said that 36 pools are planned to open in stages in October. Johannesburg has 57 municipal pools, while the department promised to publish the list of facilities set to open only in early October.
Problems with pool maintenance
Last year, 35 pools opened on September 1, with another 18 scheduled to open later during the season. Ultimately, 37 facilities were operating before the holiday period.
The city has five heated pools: Ellis Park, Linden, Pimville, Pioneer Park and Coronationville. Last year, Ellis Park experienced mechanical problems with its heating, while Coronationville remained closed due to a malfunction in its heating system.
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Our City News journalists visited several pools ahead of the planned start of the season. Zoo Lake stands empty because of cracked pipes, neglected changing rooms and maintenance deferred for years; a local community initiative is raising funds for repairs. Journalists described the water at Ellis Park, Verity Park and East Bank as green. The Orlando West pool was in better condition, although the water in its central section also had a greenish tint.
Criticism of the delay
Lyrics Mazibuko, the Democratic Alliance’s shadow Member of the Mayoral Committee for Community Development, asked the department to explain the delay. He said that safety and operational requirements were not unforeseeable, as the city should have carried out maintenance, inspections and staff recruitment in advance.
Ward councillor Bea Campbell Clute said she had been told that the Blairgowrie pool was closed because of a shortage of lifeguards following changes to educational requirements for employment. According to her, the pool was repaired by a local community association, and the facility has two full-time lifeguards.
