OUR CITY NEWS: Joburg’s public pools crisis — delays, neglect and empty promises during the summer heatwave
A month and a half into swimming season, only 20 of Johannesburg’s 57 municipal pools are open, while only another 13 are expected to reopen this week.
As the summer swimming season progresses, only 20 out of 57 Johannesburg municipal pools have opened, with a further 13 expected to reopen this week. Initially, the City of Johannesburg had promised 36 pools would be open by October 1st, but delays due to "compliance and maintenance issues" meant just 15 pools opened on October 7th.
Only 13 pools opened on the following day. Community Development Minister Thapelo Amad stated that major hurdles have been resolved and the focus now is on maximizing pool capacity, maintaining safety standards and ensuring reliable service ahead of the peak season in November and December.
Delays have also been reported in appointing staff, with new minimum educational requirements set in June excluding many former staff members. However, a bulk chemical delivery, completion of seasonal lifeguard hiring and ongoing maintenance have helped speed up pool reopenings. 140 lifeguards and 40 cashiers have already been deployed.
Problematic pools include Roodepoort, Florida North, and Coronationville, which faces an electrical issue and is currently lime green due to a faulty pump motor. The Ivory Park pool remains closed due to community-related challenges, while the new Drieziek pool is expected to open once outstanding snag-list items have been completed.
Despite these hurdles, the DA's shadow MMC for community development, Lyrics Mazibuko, urges residents to question why the city struggles to prepare pools for the summer season, emphasizing their importance as essential community assets.
Written by urgent.news from Daily Maverick's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
