The beach huts on Muizenberg beach make me I feel instantly happy. They remind me of surf, sand, sea, sun, and joyful occasions at the beach.
When I visited them last Thursday, I could almost imagine Agatha Christie getting changed in one, taking her surfboard out onto the beach, and surfing the waves.
I found this same experience when I went to a dentist in Muizenberg last week. The dental surgery had beautiful paintings of the Muizenberg beach huts, and even four lampshades made out of metal in the shape of beach huts hanging over the reception.
These beach huts go back to the late 19th century. There is some evidence that there were 174 of them at one stage.
The iconic, colourful beach huts in Muizenberg, St James, and Fish Hoek evolved from early private structures to the well-known municipal bathing boxes we see today.
When were they first built?
The concept of “bathing boxes” or beach huts in Muizenberg dates back to before the 1880s. Initially, these were unregulated, privately built structures—some even constructed by hotels to offer discreet changing facilities (often separated for “Ladies” and “Gentlemen”).
In 1911, with the opening of the first wooden pavilion, regulations were introduced for private bathing boxes, dictating their dimensions and placement.
The most significant development came in 1929 with the opening of a new concrete and brick pavilion. At this time, the Cape Town Municipality invested in 174 new bathing boxes that stretched along the high-water mark. These are largely the ancestors of the iconic huts we recognize today.
While the exact dates for St James and Fish Hoek’s first huts aren’t as precisely documented, their development likely followed a similar pattern, with early private structures being formalized and standardized by municipal efforts in the early 20th century—particularly given their proximity and shared coastal development.
What was their purpose?
The primary purpose of these beach huts was to provide private changing facilities for bathers. In an era when “mixed bathing” was a concern, these boxes offered a discreet space for individuals to change into their swimming attire.
Over time, their purpose has evolved. Today, while still offering a practical space for changing, they are perhaps even more significant as:
• Iconic landmarks: They are a major tourist attraction, frequently featured in marketing campaigns for Cape Town and South Africa, contributing to the local tourism economy.
• Community assets: Efforts are ongoing to preserve and maintain them, often involving community engagement and fundraising initiatives. They represent a beloved part of the False Bay coastline’s heritage.
How many of them remain today?
While specific numbers for St James and Fish Hoek are not readily available, it’s known that the Muizenberg huts underwent a significant refurbishment project recently. The City of Cape Town announced an initiative to replace the eight iconic beach huts on Muizenberg Beach with new structures replicating the original design, colours, and patterns as part of a broader promenade upgrade. The original 174 huts from 1929 have likely been reduced and replaced over the years due to maintenance, storm damage, and redevelopment.
There are still a significant number of these colourful huts across Muizenberg and St James that continue to be a defining feature of these beaches.
Muizenberg still has quite a number of bathing boxes remaining: there are about four around the changing rooms and another four on the other side of the changing rooms. Then, down the beach, there are many more, but I don’t know the exact number.
On a visit some time ago to the St James tidal pool, I noticed that the bathing boxes were in excellent condition. They didn’t seem to be vandalised or subject to unauthorised use.
But in Fish Hoek, it’s a different picture. The bathing boxes of old are largely gone. A few remain. They look in disrepair, have been vandalised, and there is evidence that they are used by vagrants as accommodation—a place to sleep at night. With increasing urban decay, poverty, and joblessness, the bathing boxes are continually under threat. Pieces are broken off to light fires in winter, and so on. Who really wants to hire a bathing box that has been soiled and vandalised?
The whole issue about these bathing boxes begs the question: will they remain? Yes, there’s interest in them as a tourist attraction, so I suppose the local government will assist in protecting them—and so will community groups. But already there’s been a furore about the removal and replacement of some of the bathing boxes on Muizenberg beach.
Whatever the case, the bathing boxes are still on the beach. They provide something fun and cheerful, and I believe there are those who still use them for keeping their belongings while they go out swimming or surfing.
