Swimmers training for next month’s Midmar Mile are at a dead end.
The beloved Olympic Pool in Margate, which is a great asset to the coast, has deteriorated to a state of disrepair, making it impossible to use the pool to train.

To date, the colour of the pool’s water is a dark emerald green, bordering on brown.
Some will argue that the coast has had a large amount of rain but word on the street is that the municipality has no HTH to dose the water of the pool.

Margate resident Neville Meek who has been living on the South Coast since 1980 and has been a paid-up seasonal member of the Margate Olympic Pool for years, is deeply concerned for ‘our once proud Olympic Pool’.

“It’s total lack of maintenance is clearly visible. In fact it’s a disgrace to the South Coast!,” he said.
Meek said Ray Nkonyeni Municipality (RNM) has failed in its duty to maintain the building from the lifeguard’s office on Margate beachfront.

“Once inside the walls of the pool, one is met with a disgraceful ablution block, broken brick paving which may result in serious injury to the public and holidaymakers, and broken concrete benches.

Inside and outside perimeter walls require urgent painting and preparation.

Meek said that recently a group of about 12 people arrived at the pool only to find it was green which meant none of them could do their daily exercise.

Another regular swimmer, Sheena van Rooyen said she and her sister, who pay annual membership fees to swim at the pool, now are unable to train for the annual Midmar Mile due to the appalling state of pool.

“Why is Marburg’s public pool always in pristine condition and we have battled for years with Margate’s pool,” she said.

No response was received from Simon April, spokesperson of RNM, at the time of going to press.

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