City of Cape Town opens swimming pools for the upcoming school holidays

Cape Town’s public swimming pools will be open every day from 23 September to 5 October 2026, giving residents and visitors a chance to cool off during the upcoming September school holidays.

The City said the pools will operate from 10:00 to 17:00 daily throughout the school holiday period.

However, five pools will remain closed while maintenance and redevelopment work takes place.

Five Cape Town swimming pools will remain closed

The following public pools will not open during the September school holidays:

• Westridge Swimming Pool
• Bellville Central Swimming Pool
• Mnandi Swimming Pool
• Athlone Swimming Pool
• Vulindela Swimming Pool

The City said major maintenance and improvement work is under way at Westridge, Bellville Central, Mnandi and Athlone. Once this work is complete, the facilities will undergo quality assessments and safety checks before reopening.

The City said the four pools will reopen on a phased basis, with reopening dates to be announced once they have been confirmed.

Vulindela Swimming Pool will unfortunately remain closed for the summer season while the City works on plans to redesign and redevelop it.

Pool hours change after the holidays

The extended daily schedule will only apply during the September school holidays.

After the holidays, public swimming pools will move to a reduced operating schedule until 1 December 2026.

From 6 October, pools will be open:

• Wednesday to Friday: 13:00 to 17:00
• Saturday and Sunday: 10:00 to 17:00

The City has encouraged residents to check the operating hours of their local pool before visiting.

Most pools will be open during the holidays

With spring now underway, the City said the holiday schedule will give families and young people more opportunities to swim, exercise and spend time outdoors.

The City is also continuing with upgrades, repairs and maintenance at its pool facilities, with major work completed during the previous financial year and further projects under way.