South African National Parks (SANParks) said that it would use drones to surveil the famous Sandy Bay beach in Cape Town to ensure that beachgoers follow the rules, including keeping their clothes on.
By Luis Monzon
New signage installed at entrances and along its route has outright banned nudity at Sandy Bay, Cape Town’s only unofficial beach for naturists and nudists.
Sandy Bay beach forms part of the Table Mountain National Park and thus is under the watch of SANParks and its officials.
The secluded beach has long been regarded by the city’s LGBT community as a gay-friendly space, with a history in the local queer community dating back to the 1970s.
Gay men often frequent the beach, and it has also received international recognition for its friendliness to LGBT people and the wider community, according to local queer publication Mamba.
Community members launched a Change.org petition in March, urging the City of Cape Town to formally designate Sandy Bay as a regulated nudist beach.
“For decades, Sandy Bay has been informally known and used as a naturist beach by both locals and international visitors,” the petitioners wrote.
“Despite this long-standing reality, the area remains unregulated, leaving both beachgoers and authorities without clear guidelines, protection, or accountability.”
The petition said that without official designation and regulations, visitors to the beach faced risk of harassment, voyeurism and non-consensual photography.
Beachgoers also faced difficulty in managing inappropriate or unlawful behaviour and repeated public conflict due to unclear expectations and rules.
“We propose that, if designated, Sandy Bay should operate under clear and enforceable guidelines,” they said.
“Many countries and cities around the world have successfully implemented regulated naturist beaches, contributing positively to tourism, local economies, and social inclusivity.”
Despite reaching 2,487 signatures, the petition has gone largely ignored. SANParks told EWN in March that Sandy Bay was not formally designated as a naturist beach.
The national park overseer said that SANParks rangers were now patrolling the beach to ensure compliance with park regulations and maintain a safe environment.
This was after SANParks was engaged by the City of Cape Town, the local community, and law enforcement following concerns about unlawful activities in the area.
Nudity banned at Cape Town’s unofficial nude beach
The secluded nature of Sandy Bay has also meant that beachgoers have been plagued by crime for years.
Last week, a coalition of local organisations and government entities installed new SANParks signage at the entrances to Sandy Bay outlining the beach rules.
“A huge thank you to Llandudno CID and the residents of Kronenzicht, whose funding made these new signs possible,” said Community Crime Prevention (CCP), a local volunteer organisation, on Facebook.
CCP said that the new signage and rules come from work with the City of Cape Town, SANParks, Cape Town SAPS, and private security companies, PPA Security and Deep Blue Security.
“This partnership has included a number of joint operations in and around Sandy Bay, with further operations now underway as we head into summer,” CCP said.
“This is another positive step in the ongoing work to make Sandy Bay a safer and more welcoming place for everyone.”
However, the new signage outright banned public nudity at Sandy Bay and said that the beaches were under surveillance, including by drones.
“No nudity and or sexual misconduct in any public space, including the beaches and pathways. Fines will be issued in terms of Section 19 of the Sexual Offences Act,” the sign said.
Cape Town Safety Alderman JP Smith revealed in 2025 that the city was using drones to monitor its many beaches, in part to alert lifesavers of emergencies and also to crack down on alcohol use.
“In Cape Town, we are now using drones to protect people on the beach, helping to find swimmers in difficulty, but also to find those trying to smuggle alcohol into the beach areas,” said Smith.
The drones capture live footage, which is used to coordinate with law enforcement units on the ground, which approach offenders and confiscate their alcohol.
Source: https://mybroadband.co.za/news/gadgets/668390-drone-surveillance-over-iconic-nude-beach-in-south-africa.html
