Originally published on 22 November 2022

Cape Town is making significant strides in its commitment to restore and protect its vital waterways and wetlands, driven by a comprehensive plan and collaborative efforts.

What was the problem?

Cape Town's waterways and wetlands have needed help for a long time. The challenge was to fix these important ecosystems while making sure the process is open and involves the community. The city faced issues like pollution, bad sanitation and the need for better water management.

How did they fix it?

The City of Cape Town, working with different partners and community groups, has started a series of actions to solve these problems.

So, how did they do it?

• Program focus: A full programme focusing on inland water quality and sanitation started, with regular meetings to check progress.
• A committee for accountability set up: A special 'Wetlands Committee' was created to bring scientific knowledge into water management.
• Information sharing: The Water Colloquium was held to talk with water activists and discuss city-wide water problems.
• Transparency around water quality: Making sure the process is open by putting all water quality test results online for everyone to see.
• Planning properly: Creating a plan for safe community use of local water bodies.
• Catching litter: Setting up systems to stop waste from entering important water bodies.
• Picking out the weeds: Removing invasive species from nature reserves and wetlands to bring back natural habitats.

Acknowledgements

Author: Alex Lansdowne

Original article: 30 things the City has done to clean up Cape Town’s vleis, rivers and wetlands

Photograph: Masixole Feni

Get your community involved

Is there a community-driven group or caring business in your area? A dedicated group of committed people can effectively solve local problems.

Think about starting or joining community groups like a street WhatsApp group, residents' association, or community policing forum (CPF) to get help and to stay informed and involved in local issues.

How to set up a community group

How to start a WhatsApp group

How to start a residents' association

How to set up a community policing forum

How to set up a neighbourhood watch

How to organise community action

How to use media to create pressure for change

Know your rights – how local government works

It’s important to understand how your local government works so that you can work with them to support what they are doing while your community continues to keep them accountable and deliver services on time. Remember you have a constitutional right to many of the services provided by local government, as well as to accountability and transparency, wherever you live and regardless of how much you earn. It is also where money collected from taxes and rates goes.