City hosts open house to share rehabilitation plans of Sand and Langevlei Canals confluence

07 October 2024

On 10 October 2024, the City of Cape Town’s Water and Sanitation Directorate will host a public engagement session to present the proposed rehabilitation plans for the Sand and Langevlei Canals confluence area in Coniston Park, Retreat. The session will take place at the Coniston Park Hall from 18:00 to 20:00. Interested parties are encouraged to submit their comments on the proposed project by 28 October 2024.

The Catchment, Stormwater and River Management branch has begun another round of public participation related to the multi-faceted rehabilitation of the Sand and Langevlei Canals Confluence. This follows the initiation of a basic assessment process that requires the compilation of a Draft Basic Assessment Report (DBAR), now currently available to the public for comment. 

The report will be available for a 30-day comment period and presents the various impact of the project, presented with input from specialists. The public review period is from 27 September – 28 October 2024 and the DBAR is available for download on the Lukhozi Consulting Engineers (LCE) website – www.lukhozi.co.za.

Public participation is being conducted in accordance with Regulation 41 of the Environmental Impact Analysis (EIA) Regulations 2014 (as amended). The primary aim of the current public participation is to allow stakeholders to give input to the detailed design for the proposed rehabilitation of the Sand and Langevlei Canals confluence. This design incorporates feedback from the initial round of public participation. 

Public participation is essential to finalising the Draft Basic Assessment Report (DBAR), and this round ensures compliance with the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA) regulations. 

This rehabilitation project is part of the Liveable Urban Waterway (LUW) Programme (LUW) Programme and is one of five initiatives in the Sand River Catchment, aimed at restoring the waterway to a more natural state. This will be achieved by de-canalising sections of the canals, installing additional waste interceptors and reinstating wetland areas, thereby enhancing the functioning of the entire ecosystem. Additionally, recreational facilities will be developed on-site to add social value to the urban green space for the surrounding community.

‘We invite all interested and affected parties to attend the open house and submit their comments on the Draft Basic Assessment Report. This project will come with a multitude of benefits. Besides providing residents with a safe, green open space to enjoy, it will also reduce the silt and litter load entering Zandvlei. This will produce a renewed wetland with improved water quality and an enriched aquatic biodiversity habitat, as well as reduce flood risk within the catchment area,’ said the City's Mayoral Committee Member for Water and Sanitation, Councillor Zahid Badroodien. 

Comments on the DBAR will be accepted until 28 October 2024 and can be submitted to: 

Lukhozi Consulting Engineers (Pty) Ltd
ATT: Natalie Ritsch
Office 111, 1st Floor, Tijgerpark 3,
Willie van Schoor Drive, Bellville, 7530
Tel: 021 686 2550
Email: n.ritsch@lukhozi.co.za 

For more information on the project, visit: capetown.gov.za/Media-and-news/Plans in place for the rehabilitation of the Sand and Langevlei Canals Confluence

Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office