Nineteen pilot whales were beached at Noordhoek Beach in Cape Town on Sunday morning, the city said.
Five of the whales had died, said the city's disaster management centre spokesman Wilfred Solomons-Johannes.
Police, sea rescue and other service were on scene trying to hose down the 14 surviving whales.
National Sea Rescue Institute spokesman Craig Lambinon said attempts were being made to help rescue the surviving whales.
"The option being looked at, if possible, is to try and refloat them or to have them driven to the naval base in Simonstown and have them taken out to sea," he said.
"At this stage we are keeping them alive on the beach using water and blankets."
Lambinon appealed to the public to stay away from the beach as there were more than enough personnel on the scene.
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