Swimming has been barred at Umhlanga beach in Durban after a dead humpback whale washed up on the beach.

Metro police director Steve Edwards said the whale was spotted at around 6am on Sunday morning.

Edwards said the youngish whale washed up about a 100m from the lighthouse at Uhmlanga beach.

"Sometimes when they get sick, they make their way to shore because for them to breath they need to be moving."

Edwards said the whale carcass had not been removed yet.

"They will either try and tow it back out to sea and leave it or they will cut it into pieces and remove it."