This is why our public pools remain closed

Boksburg Advertiser recently reported that the metro failed to deliver on its promises to ensure major public swimming pools were ready to reopen on September 1, the start of the swimming season.

Residents have expressed disappointment over the delayed reopening of pools. We, therefore, reached out to the metro to find out why the facilities remain closed and what is being done to them to meet the required standards to reopen – at least before the summer holidays.
In Boksburg alone, four out of the five swimming pools remain closed and there seems to be a tidal wave of trouble surrounding their reopening.

Here is why your pools remain closed:
Boksburg North Indoor Swimming Pool
The facility delayed reopening for the season because of defective heat pumps since January and this equipment failure could be attributed to the equipment being too old and having reached the end of its life cycle.
Another major stumbling block to reopening the pool is a water leak from the wall, which is running on the floor and spilling into the pool water, resulting in the contamination of the pool water, thus making it unsafe for users. The pump motor is also damaged.

The city said the delays to repair or replace the damaged equipment were a result of budget constraints. However, with the new budget allocation for the new financial year, the city is making efforts to get the pumps fixed to restore the functionality of the pool.
The Boksburg North pool will be back in operation as soon as all the above-cited repair works have been completed satisfactorily, according to the the metro.
Atlasville
This pool is temporarily closed due to staff shortages.
“With regards to Atlasville, the pool will be open as soon as our seasonal lifeguards’ appointments have been finalised and approved,” said metro spokesperson Zweli Dlamini.
Van Dyk Park
This pool was previously closed for a lengthy period of time to allow for the almost R9m refurbishment, and residents had hoped that it would be ready for the September 1 opening.
However, the facility remains ‘temporarily’ closed due to the pool pump motors being damaged as a result of a load-shedding electrical power surge.

“The department is doing its best to get the motors fixed and to reopen the pool at the earliest convenience. All due processes are being followed to appoint contractors to do all the identified repairs and maintenance works. Upon completion of all the works, the facilities will be open to the public,” said Dlamini.
Vosloorus
The metro confirmed that this facility has since 2020 been closed due to outstanding repairs and maintenance of the pool’s floor tiles.
“The entire pool floor has been stripped and is due to be repaired. In this regard, a Service Request Order (SRO) has already been submitted for the appointment of a service provider to do the repair work. The repair work will commence as soon as the SRO’s are approved and the contractor allocated for the works.

“Critical to mention that several attempts were made by the department to fix the pool. However, due to budget constraints, our efforts could not bear fruit. The department is optimistic that the pool will be repaired before the end of the pool season.”
Parkdene
This deserted facility has been closed for over six years and had, before the appointment of the security service provider, been left at the mercy of vandals and thieves.
Thieves and vandals targeted the heavy current electrical cable, plumbing, alarm system, booster pump, filter drum, chlorinator, injector and motor pump.

Dlamini said as part of the efforts to make sure this once prestigious swimming pool opens as soon as possible, the department has requested a budget for the upgrading of the facility, and as soon as the budget is approved and allocated, the pool will be upgraded and reopened.
“It’s important to mention that due to the nature of the damages, the repair works would require huge capital injection.”
Maintenance
We also asked the metro how often the department makes inspections at its swimming pools to identify maintenance work that is required .
Dlamini responded: “The department conducts regular inspections to identify all repairs and maintenance defects and flowing from the inspections, Service Request Orders (SRO) are submitted to the relevant sister department tasked with the responsibility to conduct the repairs and maintenance of all council buildings.

“It’s critical to mention that this function is not executed by the SRAC department, but relevant sister department (Real Estate Department), and once our SRO is approved then a purchase order will be granted to the appointed service provider to execute the necessary repair works.”

Is the metro disappointed at the delayed opening of the pools in question?
Yes, as a matter of fact, the CoE is deeply dismayed by the unfortunate delays in the reopening of its swimming pools to the greater communities of Ekurhuleni. However, we are working tirelessly to put remedial actions in place to get our pools in operation before the end of the season.

The plan to reopen the pools in September seems to be more of a belly flop that the city has year after year been unable to get right. Will the metro investigate why these issues almost always go unchecked?

The CoE has a total of 37 swimming pools. Out of the 37, only two are newly built and only two have been upgraded. The remaining pools are very old. Due to the aged, dilapidated infrastructure and lack of adequate budget for repairs and maintenance, it is an impractical situation to keep our pools operational and in working condition.
The metro has not appointed the seasonal lifeguards for some of the public pools. Is that correct; if yes, please, explain why some sites are left without lifeguards?
During August 2023 seasonal lifeguards interviews took place and the department is awaiting approval of appointments by Human Resources Department.
Planning ahead
We asked the metro what prevented the department from addressing the identified issues on time, given that they had time when the facilities were closed for the winter months.
Dlamini explained: “The city does prepare in advance annually for the reopening of all its pools as per our standard operating procedures. A readiness plan is compiled, together with the repairs and maintenance plans. However, due to the financial year of council only starting on the July 1, sometimes it takes a while for the budget expenditure to be approved.

The other delays come with the supply chain processes of the council to be followed by all departments for the appointment of service providers. This is, unfortunately, a lengthy process. However, it is important that it be followed to the letter to ensure compliance with the Municipal Finance and Management legislation and Supply Chain Policy of the council.

Also Read: City delays opening of swimming pools