City celebrates environmental partners and unveils new mascot

04 December 2025

On Wednesday, 3 December 2025, the City of Cape Town’s Environmental Management Department hosted its inaugural Partner Appreciation Event at the Smart Living Education Centre and Dome Classroom, Green Point Park. Deputy Mayor Alderman Eddie Andrews delivered the keynote address, while partners reflected on their longstanding collaboration with the City. The event concluded with the presentation of certificates recognising valued partnership and commitment.

‘The environment is not the responsibility of government alone. It is a shared inheritance and a shared inheritance demands shared guardianship. Cape Town benefits from a unique strategic advantage, with a strong culture of organised communities, active civic stewardship, committed NGOs, respected researchers and private partners who are willing to invest real resources in our shared goals. On behalf of the City of Cape Town’s Environmental Management Department, I would like to thank all our partners for serving as guardians of the places and systems that keep our city thriving,’ said Alderman Eddie Andrews, the City’s Deputy Mayor and Mayoral Committee Member for Spatial Planning and Environment.

Nature Connect CEO Anthony Roberts, ICLEI Africa’s Bongiwe Simka and Table Mountain National Park’s Wendy Johnson shared their collaboration experiences with the City and highlighted the mutual benefits achieved. Examples included Nature Connect’s capacitation and development of more than 70 staff who have transitioned into City positions, co-learning opportunities with international delegations, the River Wardens programme and the placement of 500 young people who have gained valuable work experience in the City’s nature reserves.

‘The City of Cape Town has shown how effective collaborative partnerships can be; from coordinated fire suppression efforts to an integrated safety and security presence. Our ongoing cooperation on environmental and wildlife matters has been strengthened by continuous communication and shared responsibilities. The Baboon Management Task Team stands as a model example of what joint planning and operational readiness can achieve. It is a partnership that truly demonstrates how well we can work together,’ said Wendy Johnson from Table Mountain National Park on behalf of Bongani Mnisi, Regional General Manager: Cape Region.

Certificates of appreciation were first presented to the consul generals in attendance; Colin Leeman, British Consul General, and Karl-Heinz Schmitz, Deputy Consul General of the Federal Republic of Germany. This was in recognition of their key contributions to the C40 project. The City also acknowledged its longstanding 25-year partnership with the City of Aachen, with a certificate awarded to Schmitz and Norbert Kuntz on behalf of Aachen-Kapstadt e.V., the civil society organisation supporting the partnership.

Also in attendance were senior representatives from CapeNature, Shark Spotters, Custodians of Rare and Endangered Wildflowers (CREW), Volunteer Wildfire Services, Table Mountain Fund, Cape of Good Hope SPCA, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and Cape Town Water Fund, Working on Fire, Cape Floristic Region Partnership (CFRP), National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI), Western Cape Economic Development Partnership (EDP) and C40 Cities Finance Facility, along with a range of internal partner teams from within the City.

All partners who took to the floor expressed their appreciation for the City’s Environmental Management Department and reiterated their commitment to continue working together in the years ahead.

‘Our work in Environmental Management would not be possible without our partners. Each partner plays a vital role; whether through fundraising, building international networks or contributing unique expertise. We are truly fortunate to have such dedicated partners,’ concluded Lorraine Gerrans, Director of the City’s Environmental Management Department.

The event also marked the unveiling of the City’s new environmental education mascot, Onke the Otter, who will be visiting schools, community centres and the City’s environmental centres to engage and educate scholars about Cape Town’s natural heritage as part of the City’s ongoing environmental education programme.

• Caption 1: EMD Partner Appreciation group photo taken outside the Dome in Green Point Park on Wednesday, 3 December 2025
• Caption 2: Lorraine Gerrans (EMD Director), Alderman Eddie Andrews and Lindie Buirski (Head of Environmental Capacity Building) with Onke the Otter mascots.

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Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office