After months of calling on the Mangaung Metro Municipality (MMM) to repair their public swimming pool, the Heidedal community can finally welcome its reopening. However, the return of the facility has been met with mixed feelings.
During a visit to the pool, children were seen lining up eagerly to enter, yet many expressed concerns about the entrance fees. One young visitor said the prices are too high. “I can only come once in a while.” Another teen shared that his parents can only afford for him to visit the facility occasionally.
An employee, who asked to remain anonymous, spoke about the difficult working conditions. They explained that cleaning the pool was challenging due to limited staff and inadequate equipment. “The pool was very dirty and green. It took us a month to get it clean, but with better tools and more staff, it would’ve taken much less time,” they said. The staff member also questioned whether the pool would be properly maintained going forward.
Nearby resident Sam Marais said he is relieved the pool has reopened, but is concerned about the lack of qualified lifeguards and the high tariffs. “We’re grateful the kids can swim again, but the prices are too high, and there are no lifeguards,” he said.
Ward councillor Arthur Terblanche echoed these concerns and confirmed he will be asking the Mangaung mayor to urgently review the tariffs. He argued that the current fees place a heavy financial burden on families who rely on social grants or minimum wages.
“A parent taking three children to the Heidedal pool now pays about R111 for one visit. Meanwhile, Cape Town pools like Muizenberg and Mnandi, which have major attractions and higher maintenance costs, charge just R9 for adults and R3 for children. There’s no justification for a standard community pool in Heidedal to cost four times as much,” Terblanche concluded.
