The City of Johannesburg has opened 37 municipal swimming pools to provide residents with recreational options during the upcoming holidays. Seven additional pools are planned to open before March 2026, while 12 remain non-operational due to various issues. This initiative aims to serve over 4.6 million residents across the city's seven regions.
As the festive season approaches, the City of Johannesburg has made 37 municipal swimming pools available for public use, offering a vital escape from the summer heat. These facilities cater to diverse communities across the city's regions, with specific pools like Ellis Park and Newclare featuring Olympic-sized basins, and others such as Linden, Ellis Park, Pimville, Pioneer Park, and Coronationville equipped with heating systems.
The city's aquatics program has seen fluctuating attendance, with 423,729 visitors in the 2023/24 season dropping to 411,345 the following year. To sustain operations, Johannesburg has allocated R9.1 million for maintenance and running costs this financial year. However, challenges persist, including inconsistent water pressure, supply shortages in some areas, vandalism, theft, and the wear from ageing infrastructure. Environmental factors like flooding also affect filtration systems and pump rooms; for instance, a new retaining wall is under construction at the Orlando pool to mitigate soil runoff from rainwater.
Pools are distributed unevenly across regions. Region A (Diepsloot, Midrand, Ivory Park) has one open pool serving 879,462 people, with another completed but not yet operational. Region B (Northcliff, Randburg, Rosebank) boasts 13 pools for 372,485 residents, mostly open, though some like Vrededorp are non-operational. Region C (Roodepoort, Randburg) has six open pools for 880,873. Region D (Soweto and surrounds) serves 1.2 million with 12 facilities, several opening later. Regions E, F, and G follow similar patterns, with four, 13, and 10 pools respectively, addressing needs for 559,958, 716,282, and 800,015 residents. Twelve pools citywide will not reopen, and two new projects remain pending.
Access is straightforward: pools operate Tuesday to Friday from 10am to 6pm, weekends from 9am to 5pm, and Mondays during school holidays. Entry costs R7 for children and R21 for adults, with season tickets available. Facilities close on December 25, 26, and January 1, 2026, and early on December 24 and 31. These 2019 population estimates underscore the pools' role in community well-being, despite ongoing hurdles.