The restoration of a section of the Elsieskraal River in Bellville is set to gain momentum through grant funding from the City of Cape Town, enabling the Greater Tygerberg Partnership (GTP) to expand community-led rehabilitation efforts in and around Elizabeth Park.
As one of the City’s 22 grant recipients for 2026, the GTP will use the funding to introduce indigenous wetland and riverine vegetation, support community awareness initiatives, and strengthen local involvement in protecting this important urban waterway.
The City’s Water and Sanitation Directorate continues to support community-based organisations working to restore and protect local waterways and wetlands through its environmental grant funding programme.
The project will focus on rehabilitating the Elsieskraal River in Elizabeth Park by introducing indigenous wetland and riverine vegetation that will help filter pollutants naturally, improve habitat conditions and enhance the ecological functioning of the river corridor. Community clean-up and educational activities involving nearby property owners, student housing residents and daily park users complement the rehabilitation work. Through this integrated approach, GTP aims to encourage long-term stewardship of the area while improving the condition of the river and the surrounding environment.
On 25 April 2026, GTP and its partners removed 312,81 kg of waste from the river and surrounding park area during a community clean-up, highlighting both the environmental challenges facing the waterway and the value of community-led action.
‘The efforts of the GTP will contribute greatly to the health of the Elsieskraal River while helping to create a cleaner and more welcoming public space for residents and visitors to Elizabeth Park. Partnerships such as these demonstrate the important role communities play in protecting and improving our local waterways,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Water and Sanitation, Councillor Zahid Badroodien.
GTP’s grant-funded project includes:
- Planting indigenous riverine and wetland vegetation in June 2026 to restore the river and wetland to improve water quality and habitat function.
- Hosting a community river clean-up event in Elizabeth Park on 25 April 2026 involving residents and park users with the support of the Litterboom Project.
‘The Elsieskraal River is more than a waterway, it is a shared community asset with the power to connect people, nature, and place. We are incredibly grateful for this investment, which is enabling us to restore biodiversity, improve environmental health and inspire greater community ownership of our natural spaces. Every tree planted, every invasive species removed, and every person engaged contributes to a stronger, greener, and more resilient Bellville. Together, we are proving that lasting change happens when communities, partners, and stakeholders come together around a shared vision.’ said Nasmera Buckus, Chief Operations Officer from the GTP.
