City teams up with community groups to support water and sanitation solutions

19 May 2025

The City of Cape Town’s Water and Sanitation Directorate celebrated a significant milestone to recognise 11 organisations who will be receiving part of R3,4 million grant funding to implement community-based solutions, programmes and research in the water and sanitation space. A special recognition ceremony was held on Thursday, 15 May 2025, at the Cape Town Civic Centre’s Banqueting Hall to mark this auspicious occasion.

Following a rigorous evaluation process of about 24 applications received in June 2024, the City awarded grant funding to 11 community organisations to support the initiatives that they are driving across Cape Town, which are aimed at getting residents involved in improving river conditions with measurable outcomes over the next six months.

Applications were considered in these categories:
• Waste interceptor installations and clearing along heavily polluted water bodies, to support existing City removal, collection and maintenance standards.
• Waterway rehabilitation such as community organised clean-up campaigns to preserve and restore local waterways.
• Social change and awareness by community members who will lead educational outreach, training and host events on water and sanitation issues in their neighbourhoods
• Behavioural research investigating what drives positive change in community behaviour in order to reduce misuse of sewer infrastructure and water pollution

‘This is a historic first step towards building a permanent, collaborative model for community partnership. The City cannot tackle the vast challenges in the water and sanitation sector alone. By forming meaningful partnerships like these, we amplify our collective reach and impact. Our 11 community champions are innovation drivers and influencers, employing their skills, passion and capabilities in helping to build our City of Hope. We are excited to see how they can encourage others for the benefit of our communities and the environment, which we are all jointly responsible for preserving,’ said Councillor Zahid Badroodien, Mayoral Committee Member for Water and Sanitation.

2. Eyabantu Recycling
An awareness and clean-up campaign in Ward 95, Makhaza, including a three-day workshop for informal settlement leaders and clean-up events involving 120 volunteers.

3. Mzantsi Planet Projects NPC
A clean-up campaign at the Eerste River near Baden Powell Drive, involving 50 volunteers from Mfuleni and Eerste River.

4. Visionaries Watch Project
A youth-focused awareness and clean-up campaign in the informal settlement along the N7 in Dunoon, targeting 100 participants.

5. South African College for Mathematics, Science and Technology
An academic research project to understand behavioural drivers related to sewer misuse and illegal construction over pipelines in Khayelitsha, engaging over 500 residents.

6. Ukwindla NPO
A clean-up campaign in Enkanini informal settlement, engaging 100 young people from the community.

7. The Litterboom Project
Installation of litter boom interception systems in polluted rivers across Cape Town, alongside support for a sorting facility that enables recycling-based job creation and supports 11 direct beneficiaries.

8. Nature Connect Trust
A research project within the False Bay Nature Reserve to evaluate the effectiveness of water hyacinth biocontrol methods by comparing water quality and heavy metal content across various sites.

9. Ummati Community Upliftment Foundation
Focused on education, awareness, and job creation, this initiative will engage 300 youth and unemployed individuals (aged 18–24) in Tafelsig and surrounding areas.

10. Friends of the Rivers of Hout Bay
Expansion of ongoing waterway rehabilitation, litter removal, and conservation projects, as well as new academic research along the Hout Bay River corridor.

11. Oasis – Reach for Your Dreams
A clean-up initiative for public spaces, rivers, and beaches from the Lourens River Bridge to Strand Beach in Helderberg, engaging 50 community members including homeless individuals and local youth.

Caption 1: The successful community organisations awarded grant funding by the City’s Water and Sanitation Directorate through its implementing agent, the Western Cape Economic Development Partnership (EDP).

Caption 2: Councillor Zahid Badroodien, Mayoral Committee Member for Water and Sanitation delivering the keynote address at the auspicious occasion.

Caption 3: Eyabantu Recycling received confirmation of their grant funding. Councillor Zahid Badroodien, Sikelelwa Mnxulwa (Eyabantu Recycling) and Nqobile Simelane (Branch Manager for Communications and Partnerships, Water and Sanitation Directorate).

Caption 4: (Dropbox) Nature Connect Trust received confirmation of their grant funding. Councillor Zahid Badroodien, Jane Doherty (Nature Connect Trust) and Nqobile Simelane

 
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Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office