Expert Says City of Cape Town Lied About City’s Clean Bleaches, SA Stumped

• The City of Cape Town recently said that its beaches have water that was safe to swim in during the festive season in December of 2024
• HWater expert Professor Anthony Turton, who spoke to eNCA, said an independent report found that the beaches were contaminated. He questioned whether the City of Cape Town's evidence was trustworthy and said the rosy picture itowever, an expert has debunked that and said a study had found that the waters were contaminated
• South Africans slammed the city and accused it of letting people swim in infested waters, endangering their lives

With over seven years at Daily Sun and Vutivi Business News, Tebogo Mokwena, a Briefly News current affairs journalist, offered insights into South African politics, national, provincial and local governance, the Government of National Unity, political parties and Parliament.

CAPE TOWN, WESTERN CAPE—Cape Town's beaches and waters are not as clean as the city claims. A study has shown that the city's water is contaminated despite the municipality classifying it under the Blue Flag Status.

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How did Cape Town mislead the public?

According to water expert Professor Anthony Turton, who spoke to eNCA, an independent report found that the beaches were contaminated. He questioned whether the City of Cape Town's evidence was trustworthy and said the rosy picture it painted was misleading.

KwaZulu-Natal beaches were also allegedly contaminated after a netizen shared a video of herself and her partner taking medication after swimming at the Uvongo Falls Beaches in December.

What did Cape Town say?

In December, Cape Town announced that 120 samples taken in November 2024 showed that the water of the city's 30 most popular beaches was safe to swim in and that the water-quality results were world-class. Cape Town, which received a clean audit from the auditor-general in August, said intensive high-frequency research water sampling was undertaken.

South Africans furious

Netizens commenting on @eNCA's tweet were displeased with the allegations.

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T.W.R asked:

"Who came up with the idea of being economical with the truth about the status?"

Mgabadeli said:

"So they let people swim in deep kaka-infested beaches."

Anti-Corruption said:

"This is not good. You are endangering people's lives."

IAmShahieda asked:

"Did anyone also notice that this year, Cape Town did not do any media campaign on the Blue Flag status beaches for the festive?"

Vezuthando said:

"Action must be taken against those officials."

Man complains of filthy tourist attraction

In a related article, Briefly News reported that a Capetonian was unhappy about the trash at the Castle of Good Hope. He shared a video of the National Heritage and its current condition.

The video's moat was filled with floating dirt, and South Africans discussed who was to blame. Some blamed the government, and others blamed residents for littering the National Heritage Site.

Source: Briefly News