Lighthouses in South Africa you MUST see

Lighthouses have towered across many coastlines for centuries warning sailors of fog, rocks and other dangers. There are many captivating lighthouses adorning South Africa’s coastline. Here are five of the best lighthouses in the country.

1. CAPE RECIFE LIGHTHOUSE

Situated in the Cape Recife Nature Reserve, this lighthouse was first lit in 1851 and is one of the oldest lighthouses in South Africa. Unfortunately, the lighthouse is not open to the public, but visitors can admire it from various points. The Cape Recife lighthouse was the fourth of South African lighthouses that the Cape colonial government erected.

2. UMHLANGA

Another note-worthy lighthouse is the fully-automatic Umhlanga lighthouse that stands along the Umhlanga walkway. It was built in 1954 and has never had a light-keeper. It is one of the country’s most photographed lighthouses.

3. GREEN POINT

Undoubtedly one of the most famous SA lighthouses, is the Green Point lighthouse. It is a national heritage site and the oldest functioning lighthouse in the country. It was the first solid lighthouse structure on the South African coast and first lit on 12 April 1824.

Many locals mistakenly refer to the Green Point lighthouse as the Mouille Point lighthouse. Even though there was a Mouille Point lighthouse, it was dismantled in the 1920s.

4. PORT SHEPSTONE LIGHTHOUSE

The fully-automatic lighthouse in Port Shepstone is an 8-metre cast iron tower that was installed in 1905. It is located at the mouth of the Umzimkulu River on the Natal South Coast.

5. SLANGKOP LIGHTHOUSE

By comparison is the Slangkop lighthouse – the tallest cast iron lighthouse in South Africa. It stands 41 metres high. Situated in Kommetjie, Cape Town, it has been burning since 1914 and became fully automated in 1979. The tower’s light shines 33 nautical miles out to sea.

For fear that ships will land up in disastrous situations on the rocky shore, Sir Francis Hely-Hutchinson commissioned it to safeguard against shipwrecks.