South Africa’s 44 blue flag beaches for 2017

by - October 29, 2017


South Africa has been awarded 44 Blue Flag status sites for 2017 – down 14 from the previous year.

Blue Flag is an international annual award which focuses on the environmental management of our coastline and coastal waters to help tourism growth and development.

Although it’s a voluntary eco-label, it’s become an international symbol of quality for beaches, boats and marinas that meet a standard of excellence in the areas of safety, amenities, cleanliness, environmental information and environmental management.

Speaking at an announcement ceremony on Wednesday, Minister of Tourism, Tokozile Xasa applauded the 44 beaches that have obtained full Blue Flag status along with 11 sustainable boats and seven marinas.

“We are re-awarding Blue Flag status to some of the beaches that lost their blue flag status in the 2016/17 season.  I would like to attribute this achievement to the Department’s Blue Flag Beach Steward project which place young people on these beaches to maintain their Blue Flag standards,” said Xasa.

“The coastal and marine tourism sector will contribute about R21.4 billion to the GDP and create about 116,000 direct jobs by 2026, thus reducing poverty, inequality and unemployment, while contributing to sustainable livelihoods and development.

These estimates are conservative as they are growing from a low 2015 base of R11.9 billion direct contribution to GDP and 64,400 direct jobs.”

28 beaches were awarded the title in the Western Cape‚ followed by nine in KwaZulu-Natal and seven in the Eastern Cape. A further 22 beaches were named as “pilot sites”, indicating that they were currently working towards full accreditation.

Only Humewood Beach in Port Elizabeth and Grotto Beach in Hermanus have retained a place on the list since it first started in 2000.

Blue Flag Beaches in South Africa

Western Cape 

BeachRegionMunicipality
SilwerstroomstrandWestern CapeCity of Cape Town
Clifton 4thWestern CapeCity of Cape Town
Camps BayWestern CapeCity of Cape Town
LlandudnoWestern CapeCity of Cape Town
MuizenbergWestern CapeCity of Cape Town
StrafndfonteinWestern CapeCity of Cape Town
MnandiWestern CapeCity of Cape Town
BikiniWestern CapeCity of Cape Town
MelkbosstrandWestern CapeCity of Cape Town
Fish HoekWestern CapeCity of Cape Town
KleinmondWestern CapeOverstrand
HawstonWestern CapeOverstrand
GrottoWestern CapeOverstrand
WitsandWestern CapeHessequa
PreekstoelWestern CapeHessequa
LappiesbaaiWestern CapeHessequa
De BakkeWestern CapeMossel Bay
HartenbosWestern CapeMossel Bay
Klein BrakWestern CapeMossel Bay
Buffalo BayWestern CapeKnysna
Brenton-on-seaWestern CapeKnysna
Robberg 5Western CapeBitou
KeurboomstrandWestern CapeBitou
Nature’s ValleyWestern CapeBitou
LookoutWestern CapeBitou
The DunesWestern Cape
Bitou
Singing KettleWestern CapeBitou
StruisbaaiWestern CapeCape Agulhas




KwaZulu-Natal
BeachRegionMunicipality
MarinaKwaZulu-NatalRay Nkonyeni
TrafalgarKwaZulu-NatalRay Nkonyeni
LucienKwaZulu-NatalRay Nkonyeni
SouthportKwaZulu-NatalRay Nkonyeni
UmzumbeKwaZulu-NatalRay Nkonyeni
RamsgateKwaZulu-NatalRay Nkonyeni
HibberdeneKwaZulu-NatalRay Nkonyeni
WestbrookKwaZulu-NatalEthekwini
UshakaKwaZulu-NatalEthekwini

Eastern Cape
BeachRegionMunicipality
DolphinEastern CapeKouga
HumewoodEastern CapeNelson Mandela Bay Metro
KingsEastern CapeNelson Mandela Bay Metro
HobieEastern CapeNelson Mandela Bay Metro
HamburgEastern CapeAmathole
KariegaEastern CapeNdlambe
Kelly’sEastern CapeNdlambe


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