Cape Town’s coastline became the focus of public debate months ago, after a widely shared TikTok clip suggested sewage was washing onto the city’s beaches. In response, Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis stepped into the surf himself, literally, to address the rumours head-on.
The conversation began when kitesurfer Michelle Sky Hayward posted a video of herself swimming in foamy water along the coast.
The clip spread quickly, drawing global coverage from outlets, as the visibility of the video prompted questions about whether the foam seen in the footage signalled a pollution problem.
As noted by The South African, Hayward and the mayor later visited the beach together to demonstrate that the concerns circulating online did not match conditions on the ground.
Speaking about her initial video, Hayward clarified that the foamy water was not what commenters had assumed.
‘It wasn’t really sewage. Cape Town water is lovely and safe to swim in,’ she stated.
In the updated video filmed with the mayor, the pair playfully blew bubbles through the foam and waded into the choppy waves, a moment meant to reassure residents and visitors that the coastline remains safe for swimming.
The mayor rejected claims of sewage washing onto beaches, explaining that the city publishes water-quality results regularly.
‘We want the public to love and enjoy our coastline. It is part of what makes Cape Town the best place to live in the world,’ he added.
A second strand of the conversation came from marine scientist Dr Barry Clark, who explained in a social media video that seabed activity often creates foamy patches during storms.
He noted that murky water can appear when waves strike kelp, breaking it into fine particles that mix with other natural elements.
‘Sea foam is a 100% natural phenomenon. It is a part of oceanic processes such as strong wave action from sea storms along Cape Town’s exposed coastline,’ city officials highlighted.
This natural process can produce thick swirls of white or beige foam, particularly after rough weather, something beachgoers often misinterpret as pollution.
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Picture: Screenshot/ Michelle Sky Hayward/Instagram
