A new seawall has been constructed on Muizenberg beach with upgrades are expected to be completed in December this year, says the City of Cape Town.

The construction of the seawall has been advancing from opposite ends of the site and the two sections have now joined, with the precast works from the east connecting to the in-situ works from the west side of the beachfront, according to Eddie Andrews, the City’s Deputy Mayor and Mayco Member for Spatial Planning and Environment.

Seawall progress

The refurbishment of the Muizenberg beachfront entails major upgrades to public amenities and and the replacement of the aged seawalls.

This forms part of the City’s investment in popular beachfront areas to mitigate the impact of climate change on the beachfront and improve the quality of infrastructure in the area.

Work is continuing along the western corner of the promenade, where concrete is being cast on site to create a seamless connection with the precast sections already installed along the main beachfront.

A key engineering feature of the project is the installation of scour aprons beneath the beach.

Scour aprons are protective, erosion-resistant barriers installed around the base of structures like bridge piers, seawalls, and culverts.

Andrews explained that these deep underground structures anchor the base of the stepped revetment in areas where bedrock is too deep for conventional foundations.

“The aprons provide scour protection, stopping wave action from undermining the structure and washing sand out from beneath it over time. It is unlikely that the beach will erode this deeply within the 50+ years for which the structure was designed,” he said.

Engineering

To assist construction, contractors have also created a large artificial sandbank that acts as a temporary barrier between the surf and the work area, keeping the site dry.

Once construction is complete, the sand will be used to cover most of the base of the new seawall.

Over the coming months, construction teams will continue installing scour protection and casting concrete for the stepped revetment.

Work will also begin on improved underground water and sewer services for the new ablution facility, while the old sandstone seawall will be demolished.

Other upcoming works include paving and landscaping in the first section of the western parking area and construction of a new universal beach access ramp in the central promenade.

Motorists are reminded that a small section of the beachfront parking area remains restricted while a crane operates on site.

Project timeline

A flag attendant is managing traffic to ensure vehicles do not pass beneath suspended concrete units, and several nearby parking bays have been temporarily closed for public safety.

“The crane will soon be repositioned to the next phase of construction and some of the affected parking bays will be reopened again for public use,” Andrews said.

He added that the refurbishment remains on schedule.

“I’m pleased to confirm that we remain on track to complete the project by December this year,” Andrews said.

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