CAPE TOWN – The City of Cape Town has officially opened its annual recruitment drive for seasonal lifeguards, riding the momentum of a highly successful summer season which recorded the lowest number of fatal drownings in seven years.

Each year, the municipality deploys more than 600 seasonal lifeguards to designated bathing beaches and public swimming pools from late September to mid-April.

This year’s winter recruitment kickoff underscores the vital role these frontline first responders play in the City’s overarching drowning prevention strategy.

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Distinct roles

The Recreation and Parks Department puts hundreds of candidates through rigorous training and physical assessments during the winter months to prepare them for the upcoming peak season.

Opportunities are available across four distinct roles, including seasonal beach lifeguards, seasonal pool lifeguards, and senior positions for both categories.

Beyond holding proven certifications, applicants must have a clear criminal record, pass a drug screening, and successfully clear demanding physical fitness tests.

Beach lifeguard candidates must complete a 400-m swim in under eight minutes, while pool lifeguard candidates must complete a 100-meter swim in under two minutes, with both groups demonstrating advanced rescue and first-aid techniques.

Several upgrades

“Our lifeguards play a vital role in helping keep bathers safe every summer. They are often first on the scene when emergencies happen, and their work saves lives,” said Councillor Francine Higham, Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services and Health.

“Cape Town’s beaches and swimming pools are extremely popular, and while we take water safety very seriously, it is a shared responsibility. For many young people, becoming a lifeguard is also an opportunity to gain valuable work experience while serving their communities. We encourage residents who meet the requirements and have a passion for water safety to apply.”

Simultaneously, the City is executing critical infrastructure upgrades at numerous public swimming pools to ensure residents have access to safe, modern, and well-maintained facilities by the time the season starts.

Major construction is currently moving forward at the Delft, Lentegeur and Langa pools to address structural, civil, and mechanical reticulation upgrades.

Meanwhile, the Bellville South and Goodwood facilities are undergoing mechanical plant repairs, Manenberg pool is finalising structural works, and Newlands Swimming Pool is sporting newly refurbished floodlights and mechanical systems.

Higham reiterated that these ongoing investments are essential for improving water sustainability, lowering operational costs, and securing vibrant, safe social spaces where communities can exercise, socialise, and learn to swim.

• Eligible candidates who meet the criteria can submit their applications online by visiting the official portal at www.capetown.gov.za/lifeguards.