Swimmers left high and dry as only two of 6 pools reopen

Another swimming season is upon us, but for thousands of Ekurhuleni residents hoping to cool off at their local public pool this Spring, the municipality’s public pools remain firmly out of reach.

Despite the traditional September 1 reopening to mark Spring Day, only two of the City of Ekurhuleni’s 36 public swimming pools have been reopened this season, leaving swimmers facing yet another year of disappointment.

More troubling for residents, some facilities that failed to open in previous seasons, including the Boksburg North Indoor Heated Swimming Pool, remain closed, with long-awaited maintenance work still outstanding.

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The metro says the immediate problem is a lack of chlorine gas after two attempts to appoint a qualifying service provider failed. It has restarted the procurement process to secure chlorine for the next three years.

The city confirmed that some of the pools that failed to open in previous seasons are still awaiting outstanding maintenance work.

Here are some of the city’s responses to our questions about the expected reopening of public swimming pools:

Out of the 36 municipal’s public swimming pools, how many are expected to be operational and open to the public on September 1?

Unfortunately, after advertising for bidders to supply the city with Chlorine gas on two occasions, the city could not find any qualifying bidder.

The city has now advertised for chlorine gas under the Stores Quotation Procurement method, which closes on September 11, 2026, and has restarted the tender process to secure chlorine for the next three years. With limited chlorine available, the city opened two of its biggest swimming pools on September 1: the Brakpan and Delville swimming pools.

The other operational swimming pools will be opened once chlorine gas becomes available. This should take place in the next few weeks.

These pools are Edenvale Pool, Altasville Pool, Selection Park Pool, Van Dyk Park, Daveyton, Benoni Central, Benoni Northerns, Vosloorus, Eden Park, Alberton.

ALSO READ: CoE’s public swimming pools to mark new season on September 3

Responding to questions about the status of outstanding maintenance work, including repairs or refurbishment, the city said some maintenance work has already been done and more will follow, as contractors have already been appointed to continue the repair and maintenance work.

What is the new projected reopening date?

This date will vary by facility, as the work needed at the various swimming pools differs. Some facilities are capital projects and require a large budget to repair. This normally delays pool openings, as other essential service priorities take precedence.

Specifically, what is the current status of the Boksburg North Indoor Heated Swimming Pool, and when does the city expect it to reopen to the public?

Engineers are currently assessing the Boksburg North swimming pool. The city will decide how to move forward once it receives the engineers’ final report.

What are the operating hours and entrance fees for the 2026/27 swimming season, and have these changed from the previous season?

Opening times and entrance fees have not changed from previous years. Opening times are from 10:00 to 18:00, Tuesday to Saturday. Entrance fees are Category C R7.00, Category B R16.00 and Category A R 22.00.

Are there any changes to the rules governing the use of the pools this season, including restrictions relating to children, school groups, swimming lessons or recreational activities?
There are no changes to the rules.