In February 2021, the Cape Argus reported that the City of Cape Town closed parts of Monwabisi Beach until Saturday, 13 February. The reason was the dismantling of Monwabisi's temporary desalination plant. Contractors relocated parts of the intake and brine lines on the seaward side. These pieces were to rest beside the existing intake structure at a depth of around seven metres, marked by a buoy, before later removal. The city promised to return the site to its former state.
The report showed that dismantling even a temporary desalination plant required offshore work on intake and brine lines and briefly limited public access to the coast.
Source: Cape Argus (Kopie im Webarchiv)