The Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa (Wessa) has released the list of South Africa’s beaches that have been awarded Blue Flag beach status for 2024/2025.
The organisation, in collaboration with V&A Waterfront, hosted the Blue Flag and Green Coast Awards celebrating the country’s outstanding beaches, marinas and sustainable tourism operators.
The iconic Blue Flag is awarded annually to beaches, marinas and sustainable boating tourism operators, who comply with stringent environmental, educational, safety and accessibility criteria.
According to Wessa, 48 beaches, four marinas, and seven tourism boats were recognised for meeting the highest environmental management, education, safety, accessibility, and sustainability standards, earning them the esteemed eco-labels.
“In addition, seven sites were awarded Green Coast status, these being community-driven coastal conservation areas of high biodiversity and eco-tourism value in South Africa that appeal to people seeking adventure and nature-based experiences.
“This year’s awards also acknowledge the efforts of 18 pilot beaches, highlighting their progress in striving for Blue Flag status,” it said.
For the 2024/25 summer travel season, 31 beaches in the Western Cape were awarded Blue Flags. The Eastern Cape Province saw 8 beaches with Blue Flags while 9 beaches in KwaZulu-Natal were recognised.
Earning a Blue Flag is no small feat, with 33 stringent criteria to meet, ranging from water quality to environmental education, accessibility, and visitor facilities.
Once again, Durban’s beaches do not appear on Wessa’s Blue Flag beaches list.
Speaking at the media briefing on the refurbishment of Moses Mabhida, eThekwini Municipality’s Deputy City Manager Community and Emergency Services, Musa Gumede, said the city elected not to participate in the program.
“A few years ago, we decided as a city to pull out of the Blue Flag program. It was our own discussion at a point after the floods when we realized that the infrastructure had been damaged and it would take a while for it to be rehabilitated.
“We took a conscious decision to pull out,” said Gumede
He revealed that the municipality currently had a program in place to rehabilitate all its water and sanitation infrastructure and once it is clear that it meets all the requirements of Blue Flag, it will start applications once again to ensure that they don’t apply knowing that they still have challenges that they are dealing with.
“That was the approach, otherwise, we are now ready in some of the areas to start an application process. It’s not a process that takes one day or two days.
“There’s a program, there are periods when they open for applications, they then come, they test, they go on the ground, they test your samples periodically.
“They come and see your infrastructure and when they are comfortable that you are able to sustain the results, they announce you as a Blue Flag,” said Gumede.
Below is a list of the beaches that received Blue Flags:
Western Cape
City of Cape Town Silwerstroomstrand,
Clifton 4t
Camps Bay
Llandudno
Muizenberg
Bikini
Melkbosstrand
Fish Hoek
Kleinmond
Grotto
Struisbaai
Witsand
Preekstoel
Lappiesbaai
Jongensfontein
Gouritzmond
Stilbaai Wes
De Bakke
Hartenbos
Klein Brak
Santos
Glentana
Wilderness
Herold’s Bay
Victioria Bay
Robberg 5
The Waves
Nature’s Valley
Lookout
The Dunes
Singing Kettle
Eastern Cape
Kouga Dolphin
Cape St Francis
Kings
Humewood
Hobie
Kariega
Kelly’s
Middle Kent on Sea
KZN
Marina
Trafalgar
Southport
Umzumbe
Ramsgate
Hibberdene
Pennington
Blythdale
Thompson Bay
