A large section of coastline in South Africa has been closed after a 15-metre whale washed ashore following an attack by great white sharks.

The whale was removed from the surf after its carcass attracted high numbers of great whites to the coast by Muizenberg beach, near Cape Town, on Sunday.

Authorities have since taken the southern right whale from the beach but have closed off a stretch of shore from Muizenberg to Monwabisi 'as a precaution'.