Welcome to the Zulu Kingdom, KwaZulu-Natal

The Blue Flag campaign, launched in 1987 in Europe, is one of a number of current projects which form part of the implementation of the White Paper for Sustainable Coastal Development. It involves the indentification of beaches which meet a rigorous serious of criteria, meeting international standards of safety, management, information and education, environmental and tourist friendliness, cleanliness, water quality and visible security.

South Africa is the first country outside of Europe to have had some of its beaches awarded Blue Flag status with the start of campaign here in 2001. There were initially eight South African beaches awarded the Blue Flag status, five of them in KwaZulu-Natal: Margate Main Beach, South Beach Durban, Willard Beach Ballito, Marina Beach San Lameer and Ramsgate Beach. Four more beaches are pilot Blue Flag beaches - Alkanstrand Richards Bay, Umhlanga Beach, Scottburgh Beach and Hibberdene Beach. Should these meet the international criteria, they will be declared Blue Flag beaches for the next season.

Blue Flags are not awarded on a permanent basis. If some of the imperative criteria are not fulfilled during the season or the conditions change, the Blue Flag will be withdrawn.