The repairs and maintenance of the City’s rivers, canals and waterways take place across the City all year round, and these operations ramp up as we enter the winter season. One of these initiatives by the City of Cape Town’s Water and Sanitation Directorate is under way at the canals in Table View. These critical pre-winter readiness interventions form part of ongoing efforts to reduce flood risks and improve water quality during the rainy season.
The Table View area features an interconnected canal system spanning more than 6 km, ultimately feeding into the Rietvlei water body. To maintain efficient water flow and prevent blockages, the City’s Catchment Stormwater and River Management (CSRM) branch undertakes routine cleaning operations, including the removal of alien vegetation, silt, and litter. This year, approximately 85 000m³ of reeds are set to be removed as part of the seasonal preparation.
‘Through the City’s proactive and ongoing river maintenance programme, we aim to improve the quality of inland water bodies and ensure our waterways are prepared for the winter rains,’ said Mayoral Committee Member for Water and Sanitation, Councillor Zahid Badroodien.
As part of the City’s 2024/25 proactive maintenance programme, CSRM invested R2,64 million in various interventions in Table View, all of which included the employment of local labour. These efforts not only support environmental management, but also contribute to local job creation. To date, a total of 558 local labourers have been employed.
The maintenance activities included clearing litter and vegetation in these areas:
- Clearing Table View canals – within the canal located behind Checkers (80 local labourers employed); at Wood Road Circle to Braselton Drive (40 local labourers employed) and within the canal at Sandown Road to Avonmouth Road (40 local labourers employed)
- May/June 2025 – at Bayside Canal (40 local labourers employed) and within the canal at Berkshire to Waterville (135 local labourers employed)
- May 2025 – within the Table Bay Nature Reserve Canal at Stephney Road (20 local labourers employed) and at the Diep River site (20 local labourers employed)
- March/April 2025 – within the canal at Sandown to Link Road (40 local labourers employed)
- March 2025 – within the canal at Sterling Crescent (20 local labourers employed)
- February 2025 – within the canal at Sandown to Koeberg Road (50 local labourers employed)
- January 2025 – within the canal at Braselton Channel (40 local labourers employed)
- December 2024 – within the canal at Link to Blaauwberg Road (33 local labourers employed)
Help us protect our waterways
Residents and businesses can help us protect our waterways by following responsible discharge practices. The City’s Stormwater Management By-Law strictly prohibits the discharge of anything other than stormwater into the stormwater system, while the Wastewater and Industrial Effluent By-Law ensures proper separation of stormwater and sewer systems.
You can help by:
- Ensuring only clean rainwater enters stormwater drains, canals and catch pits
- Reporting illegal dumping or suspicious discharges into waterways
- Properly disposing of household chemicals, oils and paints through designated waste facilities
- Maintaining your property to prevent cross-connections between stormwater and sewer systems
- Using municipal waste collection services for garden refuse and litter
Do not:
- Discharge oils, chemicals, paints or industrial waste into stormwater systems
- Connect sewer pipes to stormwater drains or vice versa
- Dump garden refuse, litter or any solid waste into canals or catch pits
- Wash vehicles or equipment near stormwater inlets
- Allow contaminated runoff from your property to enter the stormwater system
‘These simple actions support the City’s investment in waterway maintenance and help ensure our water bodies like the Rietvlei remain clean, healthy and accessible for public enjoyment,’ said Councillor Badroodien.
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