This season, 227 children were separated and safely reunited, while five were handed over to the Department of Social Development after caregivers could not be located by the end of the beach day. This marks an improvement on last year, which recorded 256 reunions and 11 DSD handovers. In the water, lifeguards and emergency services remained busy, but outcomes point to improved safety.
Since October 2025, 23 non-fatal drownings were recorded at Cape Town beaches, all of which could have ended tragically without swift rescues. During the same period, five fatal drownings were recorded along the city’s coastline. All fatalities occurred outside designated bathing areas, underscoring the risks of swimming away from lifeguarded zones.
Beaches along the False Bay coastline recorded the highest number of Identikidz registrations, particularly Strand, Strandfontein and Muizenberg, reflecting both heavy footfall and strong uptake of safety measures. The programme runs until January 18. Of the non-fatal incidents, all but three occurred along the False Bay coast, including four at Strand, four at Clovelly and three at Fish Hoek.
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More than half involved children between the ages of six and 17. The City of Cape Town confirmed that Identikidz child safety progamme registered 101,780 children at participating beaches over the peak festive season, a 13.5% increase on last year’s 89,689 registrations and the programme’s best performance to date. The initiative, run at 15 of the city’s busiest beaches as well as Maiden’s Cove on Boxing Day and New Year’s Day, helps reunite lost children with caregivers quickly.
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