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Blue Flag flies on SA beaches
1 November 2004
South Africa's coastline sparkles! Fourteen local beaches won international recognition at the 2004 Blue Flag Awards, a European-based campaign which measures beaches against strict environmental, tourist and safety standards.
Blue Flag gives local and foreign visitors the knowledge that their beaches are clean, environmentally sound and adhere to international safety and other tourist standards.
When South Africa joined the campaign in 2001 as the first country outside Europe to participate, Blue Flag began to grow into an international campaign. Started in France in 1985, the campaign now runs in 25 countries, with many others outside Europe - including five Caribbean countries, Canada, Chile, Morocco, New Zealand and Russia - set to join.
South Africa's
2004 award-winning beaches:
Dolphin beach, Jeffrey's Bay (E Cape)
Humewood Beach, Port Elizabeth (E Cape)
Wells Estate, north of Port Elizabeth (E Cape)
Hibberdene Beach, south coast (KwaZulu-Natal)
Lucien Beach, south coast (KwaZulu-Natal)
Margate Beach, south coast (KwaZulu-Natal)
Marina/San Lameer Beach, south coast (KZN)
Ramsgate Beach, south coast (KwaZulu-Natal)
South Beach, Durban / eThekwini (KwaZulu-Natal)
Umhlanga Rocks, Durban / eThekwini (KZN)
Clifton 4th Beach, Cape Town (W Cape)
Grotto Beach, Hermanus (W Cape)
Kleinmond Beach, near Hermanus (W Cape)
Mnandi Beach, Strandfontein (W Cape)
The Blue Flag is given to beaches that meet 14 criteria spanning three aspects of coastal management: water quality, environmental education and information, and safety and services, which include excellent life-saving standards, top-rate parking and sparkling ablution facilities.
Local authorities
report a number of spin-offs from being awarded Blue Flag status, including an increase in visitors, improved behaviour on the part of beach-goers, property prices rising for homes near Blue Flag beaches - and visitors enjoying a well cared-for and managed beach.
The Blue Flag is awarded for one year only. Eight South African beaches were awarded Blue Flag status in 2003, eight in 2002, and four in 2001:
South African Blue Flag beaches 2003:
Humewood Beach, Port Elizabeth (E Cape)
Margate Main Beach (KwaZulu-Natal)
South Beach, Durban (KwaZulu-Natal)
Hibberdene Beach (KwaZulu-Natal)
Ramsgate Beach (KwaZulu-Natal)
Marina Beach, San Lameer (KwaZulu-Natal)
Umhlanga Rocks Main Beach, (KwaZulu-Natal)
Grotto Beach, Hermanus (W Cape)
South African Blue Flag beaches 2002:
Humewood Beach, Port Elizabeth (E Cape)
Margate Main Beach (KwaZulu-Natal)
South Beach, Durban (KwaZulu-Natal)
Willard
Beach, Ballito (KwaZulu-Natal)
Ramsgate Beach (KwaZulu-Natal)
Marina Beach, Sanlameer (KwaZulu-Natal)
Lookout Beach, Plettenberg Bay (W Cape )
Grotto Beach, Hermanus (W Cape)
South African Blue Flag beaches 2001:
Margate Main Beach (KwaZulu-Natal)
South Beach, Durban (KwaZulu-Natal)
Lookout Beach, Plettenberg Bay (E Cape)
Willard Beach, Ballito (KwaZulu-Natal)
Blue Flag is managed in South Africa by the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa, in partnership with the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism and participating coastal authorities under the department's Coastcare initiative.
Coastcare gives financial and technical help for coastal development projects aimed mostly at poor communities, and offers education, training and research services.
SouthAfrica.info reporter
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Humewood Beach, Port Elizabeth - Blue Flag beach for three years running |
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