The City’s Deputy Mayor and Mayoral Committee Member for Spatial Planning and Environment, Alderman Eddie Andrews represented the City of Cape Town at the RAMSAR Conference of the Contracting Parties (COP15) in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe yesterday, 26 July 2025 where he introduced the City’s first Wetlands Report. Cape Town counts among 43 accredited Wetland Cities around the world.
The event brought together more than 170 governments to focus on protecting wetlands for our common future and to strengthen international commitments for wetland conservation. Cape Town, one of the most biodiverse cities in the world, also includes False Bay Nature Reserve, which is declared an individual Ramsar Site for its important wetland habitats.
‘The City was granted accreditation as an international Wetland City in 2022 which remains a great honour for us as a municipality. I was afforded the opportunity to introduce the City’s Wetland Report at COP15 which highlights some of the excellent work and milestones our City officials have accomplished over the last few years. The report recognises the best-practice work that the City has undertaken to date in implementing policies and plans to ensure Cape Town’s wetlands are protected, rehabilitated and restored. We recognise the challenges we face living in the fastest growing urban city in South Africa, but it is with saying this, that I am even more proud of our committed and talented Biodiversity Management experts and teams who, with great determination and passion, deliver on innovative plans to resolve challenges,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Spatial Planning and Environment, Alderman Eddie Andrews.
The City’s Wetland Report provides the public with a comprehensive and beautiful summary of Cape Town’s Natural wetlands and watercourses. It includes an update on the various wetlands as they are today and the management challenges the City is currently faced with.
The aim with this report is to profile the city’s wetlands to citizens by showcasing the vital role these play in our urban environment as well as the benefits to local residents, not only in terms of recreation, but for job creation and skills development opportunities as well.
‘In the Wetlands Report, we have included some of the ways we are future-proofing Cape Town’s wetlands and how we do the critical monitoring of these precious areas in our city. The report showcases many of the vital projects we have achieved great success with over the last few years. Some of the highlights that stand out to me are the major wetland rehabilitation project our team delivered on in the Zandvlei ecological corridor; the Liveable Urban Waterways programme which currently has seven projects under way that proactively rehabilitate waterways across Cape Town as well as the phenomenal results the team has had with the Paardevlei Wetland, a new nature reserve which has increased exponentially in popularity and is one of Cape Town’s premier birding localities.
‘What we have achieved in terms of job creation and skills development through the River Wardens Programme has also truly been impactful. This is a project that rightfully forms part of the Mayor’s Priority Programme and continues to deliver great success in preserving our wetlands and improving water quality. The City is committed to finding long term solutions and this is evident with this Mayoral Priority Programme focus on water quality improvement of our rivers and wetlands,’ said Alderman Andrews.
The City will remain committed to carrying out the responsibilities this Ramsar accreditation requires in protecting Cape Town’s precious wetlands.
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