SA’s 45 Blue Flag beaches for this summer

South Africa has a number of beaches that receive international Blue Flag status annually. Last year South Africa had 46 beaches with Blue Flag status, while this year there are 45.

All Blue Flag beaches have to meet strict international criteria and the programme is locally-managed by WESSA (the Wildlife and Environmental Society of South Africa).

Castle Beach, Stilbaai Wes, Jongesnfontein and Glentana in the Western Cape received Blue Flag status for the first time, while Buffalo Bay in Knysna dropped off the list.

Hamburg Beach in the Eastern Cape’s Amathole district no longer has Blue Flag status and KwaZulu-Natal’s Ramsgate (which did not pass the water quality requirements this year, according to WESSA spokesperson Vincent Shacks), Lucien and Westbrook also lost their blue flags.

The Blue Flag Programme, now in its 32nd year in South Africa, focuses on the environmental management of marine and coastal habitats.

Here’s the latest list of the country’s Blue Flag beaches, in no particular order.

Western Cape

 

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1. Clifton 4th, City of Cape Town
2. Silwerstroomstrand, City of Cape Town
3. Camps Bay, City of Cape Town
4.. Llandudno, City of Cape Town
5. Muizenberg, City of Cape Town
6 Strandfontein, City of Cape Town
7. Mnandi Western, City of Cape Town
8. Bikini, City of Cape Town
9. Melkbosstrand, City of Cape Town
10. Fish Hoek, City of Cape Town
11. Kleinmond, Overstrand
12. Hawston, Overstrand
13. Grotto, Overstrand
14. Castle Beach, Overstrand
15. Witsand, Hessequa
16. Preekstoel, Hessequa
17. Lappiesbaai, Hessequa
18. Gouritzmond, Hessequa
19. Stillbaai Wes, Hessequa
20. Jongensfontein, Hessequa
21. Santos, Mossel Bay
22. De Bakke, Mossel Bay
23. Hartenbos, Mossel Bay
24. Klein Brak, Mossel Bay
25. Glentana, Mossel Bay
26. Brenton-on-sea, Knysna
27. Robberg 5, Bitou
28. Keurboomstrand, Bitou
29. Nature’s Valley, Bitou
30. Lookout, Bitou
31. The Dunes, Bitou
32. Singing Kettle, Bitou
33. Struisbaai, Cape Agulhas

KwaZulu-Natal

 

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1. Umzumbe, Ray Nkonyeni
2. Trafalgar, Ray Nkonyeni
3. Southport, Ray Nkonyeni
4. Marina, Ray Nkonyeni
5. Hibberdene, Ray Nkonyeni
6. Ushaka, Ethekwini

Eastern Cape

 

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1. Kariega, Ndlambe
2. Dolphin, Kouga
3. Humewood, Nelson Mandela Bay Metro
4. Kings, Nelson Mandela Bay Metro
5. Hobie, Nelson Mandela Bay Metro
6. Kelly’s, Ndlambe

Image: Unsplash