Rhodes Park swimming pool remains closed amid chemical supply disruptions

The Rhodes Park swimming pool in Kensington, remains closed as service disruptions continue to affect several municipal facilities across Johannesburg.

Members of Kensington community say the facility has been closed and is not in a clean or safe state. Some residents have further alleged that community members were being asked to contribute towards purchasing chlorine needed to treat the pool water.

The situation has sparked concern among community members who say public recreational facilities are essential, particularly for working-class families who rely on municipal amenities.

City of Joburg MMC for Community Development, Thapelo Amad, acknowledged the disruptions, and said the closure was because of “chemical supply constraints”.

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“To mitigate the impact, the City is currently prioritising available stock for high-demand regional facilities while maintaining strict water quality monitoring at all operational sites,” Amad said.

However, the DA Shadow MMC for Community Development, Lyrics Mazibuko, said the situation reflected broader governance failures.

He described public recreational facilities as “essential community assets” and argued that the closure deprived residents, particularly young people, of safe and accessible recreational space.

Mazibuko further criticised what he called poor planning, maintenance failures, supply chain dysfunction, and weak financial oversight within the administration.

He also raised concern over reports that residents were being asked to contribute money for chlorine, describing this as “completely unacceptable.”

“Residents already pay rates and taxes. They should not be forced to subsidise the City’s inability to perform its basic responsibilities,” he said.

The City of Johannesburg has not provided a specific timeline for when the Rhodes Park swimming pool will reopen. But Amad said that the reopening of all facilities will be communicated through the City’s official channels.

• This story is produced by Our City News, a non- profit newsroom that serves the people of Johannesburg.