City cuts public swimming pool hours
THE LATEST measure to cut water wastage left residents of Kensington fuming after they discovered they could only use their public swimming pool over the weekend.
The City of Cape Town announced public swimming pools would only be open on Fridays between 2-5pm and between 10am and 5pm on Saturdays and Sundays as of today. But at least one Kensington mother, who belongs to Walmers Swimming Club, said the City should know better than to deprive children of a space to practice.
“It’s absolutely terrible, I understand that we are in a water crisis but there has be other alternatives,” Fatimah Otto said. “I think its unfair because the City knows we use the pools for practice sessions.” Another resident, Denucia Jordaan, said: “Our kids will be greatly disadvantaged as the swimming club will also not be allowed to practice at the Kensington pool.
Shuaib Felix said his daughter had recently started swimming lessons at Kensington swimming pool.
“This irritates me as we in the previously-disadvantaged communities have very little or no amenities in our area where our children can get away from the drugs, gangsterism compared to the more affluent areas where I am sure the public pools will remain open.”
The only public swimming pools not affected by the measures are Sea Point, Mnandi Resort, Long Street, Retreat, Blue Downs and Strand. The City said the closures would save around 1 680kl of water daily. “It is impractical to keep these pools open while facing the current water crisis in Cape Town,” Mayco member for Safety and Security and Social Services, JP Smith said. “The situation is not ideal, but I trust the public can appreciate the severity of the situation and will support this measure, over and above their individual water-saving efforts.”