Durban: 22 beaches open for swimming, Brighton Beach remains closed after poor water quality result

As of 30 October 2026, Brighton Beach is the only monitored beach in Durban closed for swimming, following an E. coli reading of 708, which is above the municipality’s poor-water-quality threshold of 500. All other monitored beaches—22 in total—are open for swimming, including Reunion Beach, which has reopened after being closed in the previous update.

The open beaches cover Durban’s Northern (Westbrook, Umdloti Main, Umhlanga Main, Bronze Beach), Central (Wedge, Point, uShaka, Addington, South Beach, North Beach, Bay of Plenty, Battery Beach, Country Club, Thekwini Beach, Laguna Beach), and Southern (Toti Main, Anstey’s, Umgababa, Doonside, Winklespruit, Pipeline, Reunion) regions. Water quality varies: the municipality classifies results as Excellent (below 130), Acceptable (130–500), and Poor (above 500). An open status does not always mean excellent water quality, so visitors should check the latest eThekwini Municipality updates before swimming.

Swimming is not permitted at Brighton Beach, but other recreational activities may continue. Conditions can change between tests, so travel sellers should advise clients to confirm the latest beach status before visiting Durban’s coastline.