EThekwini mayor Cyril Xaba has announced that Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, is experiencing its busiest festive season since before the Covid-19 pandemic, with the city recording unprecedented visitor numbers and beach crowds.
For the first time since 2022, 22 of the city’s 23 bathing beaches are open and safe for swimming, with only Laguna Beach temporarily closed as a precautionary measure.
The reopening marks a significant milestone for the coastal city, which had previously grappled with beach closures due to infrastructure challenges. Xaba confirmed that his teams are addressing infrastructure issues at Laguna Beach that may cause contamination, and the beach could reopen before the end of December.
ALSO READ: eThekwini Municipality closes four beaches
Record-breaking attendance figures
The mayor announced strong attendance figures during a media briefing on Monday.
“On Reconciliation Day, 16 December, an estimated 201 000 visitors enjoyed our beachfront, making it the busiest day in recent history,” Xaba said.
He added that “despite these unprecedented crowds, the city is proud to report zero drownings and no major incidents on the day.”
Between 1 and 21 December, approximately 873 000 people visited Durban’s beaches, again with zero drownings recorded.
Durban South Beach in December is banging 🌊 pic.twitter.com/McosVIrT80
— Diego (@woza_diego) December 22, 2025
Xaba attributed this achievement to “the dedication and professionalism of our staff, including lifeguards, emergency and disaster management teams, as well as the law enforcement agencies”.
He said the city’s child safety measures have also proven effective, with more than 200 children separated from their guardians safely reunited during this period.
Officials issued 247 000 identification armbands bearing guardians’ contact details to ensure child safety.
Strong economic impact
The mayor said this festive season has delivered substantial economic benefits to Durban, with the city receiving 490 152 visitors from 1 December to date.
Hotel occupancy currently stands at 70%, with direct visitor spend reaching R1.8 billion and an estimated contribution of over R6 billion to the city’s GDP.
“These indicators confirm strong festive season performance and sustained tourism demand,” Xaba stated.
“Durban is delivering a vibrant, safe and well-coordinated festive season, translating into strong visitor numbers, meaningful economic impact and renewed confidence in the city as South Africa’s leading summer destination.”
Beyond its beaches, Durban has attracted visitors through diverse events and attractions. Total recorded attendance at 11 signature events currently stands at 83 000, with a projected additional 61 000 attendees expected between late December and early January.
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Upcoming celebrations
The mayor announced that the city has planned major activations for the New Year period. On 31 December, Durban will host a New Year’s Eve fireworks display at the Durban Beach promenade, North Beach Pier and the new pier.
The large-scale display is expected to attract significant crowds and stimulate nighttime economic activity.
On 2 January, the city will host the Durban Festive Season Carnival, starting at the corner of Joseph Nduli Street and West Street, proceeding along West Street and concluding at the city hall.
The carnival will feature performances by popular artists and cultural groups.
Law enforcement operations
Xaba said law enforcement officers have maintained high visibility across roads and tourism sites throughout the festive period.
Multidisciplinary operations resulted in 29 arrests for offences including drinking and driving, possession of drugs, public drinking, possession of unlicensed firearms, housebreaking and robbery.
Additionally, 290 suspects with outstanding warrants were apprehended during roadblocks, and 366 warrants valued at R267 000 were settled.
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Water quality monitoring and transparency
Addressing concerns about beach water quality, Xaba emphasised the city’s commitment to transparency and public safety.
“One of the key contributors to the influx of visitors to Durban this festive season is the reopening of almost all our beaches,” he said, noting that water quality testing has been intensified during the festive period.
Under normal circumstances, water quality tests are conducted every two weeks. However, during the festive season, the city has increased testing to weekly intervals to ensure maximum safety.
“I want to reiterate that the temporary closure of beaches due to water contamination is lawful and necessary,” Xaba stated.
The mayor highlighted that beach water quality results are published on the city’s website, shared on social media platforms, issued through media statements, and displayed at all bathing beaches.
He noted that it was “surprising to see political parties celebrating a court directive requiring the publication of results, as this has long been standard practice for our city.”
Infrastructure investment and political criticism
Responding to what he described as misinformation circulated by opposition parties, Xaba clarified the city’s position on a recent court judgment.
He dismissed claims that the city has been forced to repair sanitation infrastructure damaged by floods, stating that “the court acknowledged that the city has already prioritised funding and developed a comprehensive action plan to repair this infrastructure. As a result, the court found no need to impose supervisory oversight.”
The city committed more than R1 billion in capital investment to repair and upgrade water and sanitation infrastructure, particularly wastewater treatment works and pump stations.
Regarding the unlicensed wastewater treatment plants highlighted in the court ruling, Xaba explained that new regulations have imposed higher standards on municipalities.
“The process is on to ensure that we meet those new standards and so that the unlicensed wastewater treatment plants receive are licensed, so that they can then be accepted as fully compliant,” he said, describing it as work in progress.
The mayor criticised what he called “a great deal of misinformation and outright falsehood” circulated by the Democratic Alliance and ActionSA regarding the state of beaches and sanitation infrastructure, emphasising that the focus should remain on delivering high-quality services to residents and visitors.
However, ActionSA’s National Chairperson Michael Beaumont maintained his criticism, stating: “At the heart of the sewage crises of Durban and Cape Town are governments in denial, concealing from their residents the true dimensions of each of their sewage crises in a bid to avoid political accountability.”
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