City of Cape Town Clarifies video of Woman Swimming in ‘Raw Sewage’

• A Cape Town woman swam in sea foam near Blaauwberg, sparking viral reactions and overseas attention
• Claims that the foam is sewage or pollution proved incorrect after a natural ocean process caused the effect
• The City of Cape Town confirmed water quality tests at Big Bay, Small Bay, and Table View

It started with a splash and a whole lot of confusion. A TikTok video of a Cape Town woman swimming through thick sea foam near Blaauwberg Beach quickly went viral, with many viewers falsely assuming the foam was caused by sewage or pollution.

The City of Cape Town has since clarified that the foamy waves are part of a completely natural ocean process. Strong wave action along the coast whips up sea life like kelp, seaweed, and phytoplankton, creating a protein-rich foam, much like whisking egg whites. Recent water samples taken at Big Bay, Small Bay, and Table View over the last year all showed excellent quality results, with no pollution.

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A social media clip showed a lively morning gathering where people began their day with coffee and music

"The City took water samples at Maiden’s Cove on 22 May 2025, during a high foam day similar to the one at Blaauwberg in July. The samples were collected every hour from 08:00 to 17:00 while foam was present on the sea surface. The sample results were excellent.

Cape Town has a rich kelp and rocky shore biodiversity. During strong wave action from sea storms, foam and murky water accumulate. The strong waves macerate the kelp, seaweed, phytoplankton and other plant and sea life organisms and cause the protein-rich material to foam, much like whisking egg white. This foam is protein-rich and persists in the environment and oxidises after sun and oxygen exposure. It becomes discoloured as the material decomposes and can sometimes have a rich odour. This is a common and natural phenomenon."

Have a look at the YouTube video below:

While some international users were horrified, local commenters quickly pointed out that Cape Town’s beaches are regularly tested and safe. As one user put it: “It’s just frothy kelp. Calm down, it’s not a horror movie!”

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ELOISE♉ said:

"Listen, you had fun, you didn't get sick, you gave us a good laugh, and you laughed at yourself, most importantly. Us South Africans are built differently, a dip in the sewage, walk in the park, same WhatsApp group💯🇿🇦✌️"

Charlie🇿🇦 Love|Lifting|Luxe commented:

"You know what, SLAY 🤌"

jennafyre wrote:

"I like that you're moving on from it and not dwelling on it. Ons is maar net anders gebou 🤷🏻"

Tshenolo Mashele was amused:

"Bubble bath is insane!! 💀💀"

Bridget remarked:

"I would never recover."

Alli added:

"No, Michelle. You’re not on to something."

Other Briefly News stories about people's bizarre experiences

• A man posted his ordeal after kayaking at sea and being swallowed by a whale in a TikTok video that went viral.
• People were in stitches after a man got excited to see a shark while standing on a rock until he slipped and fell right on it.
• One man who was trying to take a video of himself dancing ended up losing his phone to a body of water after eating.

Proofreading by Kelly Lippke, copy editor at Briefly.co.za.

Source: Briefly News