The refurbishment of the Muizenberg beachfront is progressing well. The construction of the coastal revetment at the start of the St James walkway is underway, the stormwater pipeline at Surfer’s Corner has been realigned and is now being installed, and the contractor has commenced with the layer work at the western parking area. If all goes as planned the parking area on the beach side, in front of the Muizenberg Civic Centre, will be open to the public by 1 August 2025.
The refurbishment of the Muizenberg beachfront entails major upgrades to public amenities and replacing 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.
The project is being implemented in phases over a two-year period. The first phase commenced in February 2025 on the western side of Surfer’s Corner, next to the railway line where the informal gravel parking area is closed to the public.
‘I’ve been informed that the pre-casting of the concrete components for the main promenade has started. This is happening off-site to ensure the highest quality work, as is the manufacturing of the stepped revetment panels. Next, removal of portions of the old concrete seawalls will start and the new stormwater infrastructure and piling work in Surfer’s Corner will be completed. The armour rock for the revetment at the start of the St James Walkway has been placed and soon the new walkway will be constructed.
‘Working in the tidal and wave run-up zone adds to the complexity of this project, especially during winter when we often experience storm events, high winds and strong wave action. This requires meticulous planning and flexibility to adapt accordingly. We will use large sand bags to provide temporary protection to the immediate surroundings in the corner because the area will be exposed once we have demolished the old step structure,’ said the City’s Deputy Mayor and Mayoral Committee Member for Spatial Planning and Environment.
As for the parking area on the eastern side, in front of the Muizenberg Civic Centre, work is progressing well despite a minor setback.
‘We discovered during the excavations that the old retaining wall had no foundation and started to fail once we removed the old paving along the wall. A new retaining wall will have to be constructed, but on the plus side: this one will be lower and provide additional seating. The stormwater infrastructure has been installed and the contractor will start with the new paving soon. We are still aiming to open the parking area by 1 August,’ said Alderman Andrews.
Stay informed
The next community liaison meeting for the Muizenberg Beachfront Refurbishment Project is taking place as follows:
• Date: Tuesday, 17 June 2025
• Time: 17:30 to 19:00
• Venue: The Lookout, Promenade Road, Zandvlei, Muizenberg
