---
title: "Kings Beach still off limits to the public while repairs to sewage line drag on"
description: "One of the Gqeberha’s most popular beaches has been plagued by one sewage spill after another in recent months, but officials are hopeful that ongoing repairs will resolve the problem and Kings Beach will reopen soon."
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "THE BIG STINK"
author: "Riaan Marais"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/riaan-marais/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-08-21-kings-beach-still-off-limits-to-the-public-while-repairs-to-sewage-line-drag-on/"
published: "2025-08-21T20:46:48"
updated: "2025-08-21T20:46:50"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 445
---

# Kings Beach still off limits to the public while repairs to sewage line drag on

> One of the Gqeberha’s most popular beaches has been plagued by one sewage spill after another in recent months, but officials are hopeful that ongoing repairs will resolve the problem and Kings Beach will reopen soon.

By Riaan Marais · Published 21 August 2025, 22:46 SAST · Updated 21 August 2025, 22:46 SAST

## Key points
- Kings Beach remains a no-surf zone as municipal contractors scramble to repair a sewage line that turned the popular Gqeberha spot into a less than ideal swimming pool, but fear not—cleanup efforts are underway and the beach might just see a return to its sandy glory in a couple of weeks, assuming no more plumbing catastrophes occur.
- Kings Beach remains closed due to ongoing sewage spills, with repairs to a collapsed pipeline underway.
- Contractors are on-site, working to restore the main sewage line and clean up dried spills in the parking area.
- E. coli levels are being regularly tested in the surf, with only one minor overflow reported in the past two weeks.
- Municipal officials estimate repairs will take two to three weeks, with beach access restricted until water safety is confirmed.

## Content

The surf at Kings Beach is still a no-go zone after a series of sewage spills in recent weeks wreaked havoc at the popular Gqeberha beach. But repairs are underway that should see municipal contractors solve the root cause of the foul flooding.

After necessary materials and equipment arrived to repair a collapsed sewage line inside the port late last week, contractors have been on site over the past few days and work is ongoing to restore one of the main sewage lines for the surrounding area.

At the same time, workers are conducting cleanup operations in the Kings Beach parking area to clear out the remains of dried-up spills, while regular testing is being done along the surf to monitor *E. coli* levels in the water.

“Luckily for the past two weeks, besides one minor overflow, we have not seen major sewage spills at Kings Beach. And while one contractor is working on replacing the collapsed pipeline, another was brought in to help clean up the mess,” said Ward 2 councillor Sean Tappan.

Kings Beach and its extensive parking area have been the subject of concern over the past two months, with recurring sewage spills flowing over the road surface into natural stormwater runoff streams, and eventually on to the beach and into the surf.

**Read more:**[Sewage spill in Gqeberha forces beach closure ahead of Boks-Italy clash](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-07-07-sewage-spill-gqeberha-beach-closure-boks-italy/)

While some of the spills were caused by debris blocking the stormwater drains, the more recent incidents were the result of a major pipeline collapsing in the port, which put strain on surrounding lines and caused them to overflow.

**Read more:**[Second sewage spill forces closure of Gqeberha’s popular Kings Beach — repairs may take weeks](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-07-31-second-sewage-spill-forces-closure-of-gqeberhas-popular-kings-beach-repairs-may-take-weeks/)

A further challenge was identified when contractors could not start with repair work because the necessary piping, materials and equipment had to be ordered in and only arrived last week.

In the meantime, pumps were brought in to divert sewage from the collapsed line to another nearby manhole as a temporary solution to the spillover on to Kings Beach.

Municipal spokesperson Sithembiso Soyaya confirmed that contractors were on site and repairs were ongoing.

While he gave no clear indication on when the work would be completed, the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality indicated in an earlier statement that repairs should take between two and three weeks, barring any major interruptions or further collapses during excavation of the damaged line.

As far as the beach is concerned, Tappan said the water is still off limits to the public as a safety precaution, and municipal officials will notify the public as soon as they can ensure there is no longer water pollution.**DM**