As summer approaches, the City of Cape Town is set to commence its annual beach lowering programme at Gordon’s Bay Main and Bikini beach, starting today (Wednesday 1 October).
This crucial re-profiling effort aims to mitigate the impact of strong south-easterly winds, which typically cause significant amounts of sand to blow onto adjacent roads and infrastructure.
Eddie Andrews, deputy mayor and Mayoral Committee member for Spatial Planning and Environment, explained the process: “The City uses manual and mechanical measures to undertake beach levelling by pushing the sand from the beach to the low-water mark. Wave action then transports the sand back into the coastal system.”
This process ensures a larger area of the beach remains wet during high tide, limiting the amount of windblown sand.
For Gordon’s Bay, the beach lowering will span from the Spur restaurant to the northern end of the parking area. The entire length of Bikini Beach will undergo this re-profiling.
The work is provisionally scheduled for completion by mid-November, well in advance of the festive season.
Andrews stressed the importance of public safety during the operation. “I want to ask beachgoers to keep a safe distance from the work areas and to keep their pets on a leash.”
While the beaches will remain open to the public, visitors are advised to exercise caution around machinery.
This annual programme, a standard practice for decades, has no measurable environmental impact.
“Beach lowering mimics a natural scour event that is common on our shorelines and puts the sand back into the sea, where it returns to circulation within the oceanic system.”
The proactive approach ensures the long-term sustainability of the highly altered coastal systems along the False Bay coastline, protecting vital infrastructure and enhancing the enjoyment of these popular beaches.
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