City aims for clean sweep ahead of winter

15 May 2025

As rainy weather approaches, the City’s Urban Waste Management Directorate is investing R90 million in its seasonal Winter Risk Mitigation Programme to help reduce flood and pollution risks. Read more below:

While the City’s cleansing services continue all year-round, this seasonal programme provides additional efforts to remove litter from gullies, manholes and catchment pits and dumping hotspots, which can lead to blocked drains and flooding during heavier rains.

The programme runs from May 2025 to September 2025 and includes:
• Removing illegal dumping
• Street sweeping programmes
• Litter picking on open spaces, gullies, verges and river banks
• Installing and servicing street litter bins
• Washing streets with water tankers where needed
• Sweeping highways and byways using mechanical equipment

‘The programme will also see almost 3 000 temporary EPWP jobs created over the five-month period to help bolster existing cleansing services and clean our city leading up to winter.

‘The cleaning efforts also reduce pollution of rivers, waterways and the ocean by preventing litter from washing into our canals where it flows out to the ocean.

‘But we still need your help to keep our environment clean. Please always use provided bins and City Drop-off facilities to dispose of your waste and don’t dump illegally,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Urban Waste Management, Alderman Grant Twigg.

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Published by:
Media Office, City of Cape Town