Nelson Mandela Bay risks losing another major sporting event

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Just weeks after losing the Ironman African Championship, Nelson Mandela Bay stands the risk of losing another major event — the Lifesaving World Championships.

The competition is scheduled to run from November 25 to December 13, with ocean and beach races taking place at Kings Beach, and flat-water races in the Newton Park swimming pool.

Ironman confirmed in June it was relocating its flagship ultra-distance triathlon, which had been held in Gqeberha for the past 21 years.

Now, the lifesaving championships could also be at risk. Necessary renovations to the Newton Park swimming pool were yet to begin when The Herald visited the facility on Tuesday afternoon.

Bay-based Lifesaving SA (LSA) made the winning bid for SA to host the event after Morocco admitted it was unable to build the requisite Olympic-size swimming pool in time. The success of LSA’s bid was announced in July 2025.

But LSA director of sport Craig van Rooyen, who is spearheading the organisation of the event, said on Tuesday he had been battling to get updates from the metro and was worried that the renovations had yet to begin.

“If the Newton Park pool repairs are not complete it places the event at risk,” he said.

Municipal spokesperson Sithembiso Soyaya said the renovations — scheduled to start on April 1 and end in July — had experienced delays due to procurement and project implementation processes.

He said the municipality remained confident, however, that the renovations would be completed, “well ahead of the Lifesaving Championships”, indicating that the project would take about two months.

We hope he is right, because this is about more than just a swimming pool.

The event is expected to generate R350m for the Bay, with thousands of competitors from more than 40 countries expected to descend on the Friendly City.

If it does not go ahead, hotels, guesthouses, restaurants, transport operators and many other small businesses stand to lose out.

Every international event is an audition for the next one, and if the Bay gains a reputation for failing to deliver on its promises, it risks losing not only this event, but also any future opportunities.