South Africa has set its sights on a bigger future for coastal conservation, with an ambition to reach 100 Blue Flag beaches by 2030 while making the country’s shoreline cleaner, safer and more accessible to everyone, Cape {town} Etc reports.
The goal comes as the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa (WESSA) celebrates two major milestones: 25 years of the Blue Flag programme in South Africa and the organisation’s 100th anniversary.
But the celebrations are about more than the number of flags flying along the coastline. WESSA and its partners are looking towards a future where protecting beaches goes hand in hand with supporting local communities, improving access for people with disabilities and helping coastal ecosystems withstand growing environmental pressures.
The milestone was marked at Grotto Beach in Hermanus, with Overstrand Municipality co-hosting the event. The municipality has maintained its Blue Flag status for 25 consecutive years, joining Humewood Beach in Nelson Mandela Bay and Marina Beach in Ray Nkonyeni Local Municipality in receiving recognition for their long-standing commitment to coastal management.
For WESSA, the next phase will require the same commitment that helped establish the programme in South Africa, alongside a stronger focus on the challenges facing the country’s natural heritage.
‘We’re proud of that history,’ said WESSA chief executive Cindy-Lee Cloete, while emphasising the responsibility that comes with it.
She said the organisation must continue earning public trust, respond to present-day challenges and give more people opportunities to care for South Africa’s natural environment.
What Blue Flag and Green Coast recognition means
Blue Flag is an international environmental award programme recognising beaches, marinas and tourism boats that meet established standards for water quality, environmental management, safety, accessibility and environmental education.
The Green Coast programme, meanwhile, is a national WESSA initiative that recognises coastal sites for their conservation management, community involvement, environmental education and responsible tourism practices.
Together, the programmes aim to encourage destinations to look beyond their appeal to visitors and invest in the long-term health of the places people come to enjoy.
This year’s awards reflect the programmes’ reach across South Africa. Certificates were presented to 50 full Blue Flag beaches, 20 pilot beach sites, seven tourism boats, five marinas and 19 Green Coast sites.
The pilot beach programme provides another pathway for sites working towards the requirements of full Blue Flag recognition.
South Africa’s contribution also has international significance. The country was the first outside Europe to adopt Blue Flag, while WESSA became the programme’s first non-European member organisation.
Kathy Young, a Foundation for Environmental Education international board member, said South Africa had helped take the programme beyond its original European base.
She stressed that Blue Flag should not be viewed simply as a tourism badge. The visible flag represents a broader commitment to improving environmental standards over time, she explained, with success depending on the people and organisations responsible for making those standards work.
Why coastal protection matters beyond tourism
The importance of the programmes extends well beyond attracting beachgoers.
Representing the National Department of Tourism, Dr Shamilla Chettiar linked coastal conservation to the future of sustainable tourism, describing Blue Flag beaches, Green Coast destinations and pilot sites as important parts of responsible tourism development.
Her message was that environmental protection and economic growth do not have to work against one another.
Chettiar also highlighted the need for continued cooperation as climate change and pollution place pressure on coastal environments. The department, she said, remained committed to finding a way to renew its partnership with WESSA.
CapeNature’s Pierre de Villiers reinforced the point, explaining that a healthy coastline depends on understanding how its different natural systems work together.
Using the Klein Estuary as an example, he highlighted the connections between catchments, estuaries, beaches, dunes and the ocean. These environments cannot be managed effectively in isolation, as changes in one area can affect the wider coastline.
Successful estuary management, he explained, can help build resilience along the coast.
The message was clear: protecting South Africa’s shoreline requires cooperation between government, conservation organisations, municipalities, tourism operators and local communities.
Making South Africa’s beaches accessible to everyone
One of the most significant developments highlighted at Grotto Beach was the launch of the Living Coast Prototype Signage at Grotto East.
Developed with partners including WESSA, the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), Blind SA and the National Council of and for Persons with Disabilities, the signs are designed to make coastal information accessible to a wider range of visitors.
The signage incorporates Braille, while accompanying digital guides offer audio, subtitles, environmental information and citizen science content in English, Afrikaans and isiXhosa.
The aim is to allow people to engage with and learn about their surroundings in ways that suit their needs, rather than relying solely on traditional printed signs.
DFFE representative Ryan Peter said environmental information should be accessible through more than sight alone, describing the project as an example of inclusive environmental education.
The initiative is intended to provide a model that can eventually be expanded to Blue Flag and Green Coast sites across the country.
For Overstrand Municipality, which has maintained Blue Flag status at its beaches for a quarter of a century, accessibility forms part of the ongoing work needed to keep the recognition.
De Wet Nel noted that maintaining the status for 25 consecutive years requires consistent attention to water quality, environmental management, visitor safety and inclusivity.
Overstrand Mayor Alderman Archie Klaas also stressed that the benefits of the municipality’s investment should be shared by everyone, including people with disabilities.
The road to 100 Blue Flag beaches
WESSA’s ambition to reach 100 Blue Flag beaches by 2030 gives the next chapter a clear target, but expanding the programme will depend on more than simply increasing the number of participating sites.
Beaches must be ready to meet the required standards, supported by investment, effective management and continued care. The organisation has framed the goal as a gradual process built beach by beach.
That approach reflects a wider challenge for South Africa’s coastal destinations: maintaining environmental quality while dealing with pollution, climate pressures and the need to make public spaces safer and more inclusive.
The milestones at Grotto Beach offered an opportunity to recognise what has already been achieved while highlighting the work still to come.
For Cloete and WESSA, the future is not just about securing more awards. It is about strengthening partnerships, protecting ecosystems and involving more people in conservation.
South Africa’s Blue Flag and Green Coast programmes are therefore entering their next phase with a broader purpose: ensuring that the country’s beaches remain places where nature is protected, communities are involved and visitors of all abilities can enjoy the coastline for generations to come.
As Young emphasised, the ultimate ambition must extend beyond recognition to the real-world impact these programmes deliver.
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Picture: Supplied
