Clearing Table View canals strengthens winter risk mitigation efforts
18 June 2025
The repairs and maintenance of the City’s rivers, canals and waterways take place across the City all year round, and these operations ramp up as we enter the winter season. One of these initiatives by the City of Cape Town’s Water and Sanitation Directorate is under way at the canals in Table View. These critical pre-winter readiness interventions form part of ongoing efforts to reduce flood risks and improve water quality during the rainy season.
The Table View area features an
interconnected canal system spanning more than 6 km, ultimately feeding into
the Rietvlei water body. To maintain efficient water flow and prevent
blockages, the City’s Catchment Stormwater and River Management (CSRM) branch
undertakes routine cleaning operations, including the removal of alien
vegetation, silt, and litter. This year, approximately 85 000m³ of reeds are
set to be removed as part of the seasonal preparation.
‘Through the City’s proactive and ongoing
river maintenance programme, we aim to improve the quality of inland water
bodies and ensure our waterways are prepared for the winter rains,’ said
Mayoral Committee Member for Water and Sanitation, Councillor Zahid Badroodien.
As part of the City’s 2024/25 proactive
maintenance programme, CSRM invested R2,64 million in various interventions in
Table View, all of which included the employment of local labour. These efforts
not only support environmental management, but also contribute to local job
creation. To date, a total of 558 local labourers have been employed.
The maintenance activities included clearing
litter and vegetation in these areas:
June
2025 -
within the canal located behind Checkers (80 local labourers employed); at
Wood Road Circle to Braselton Drive (40 local labourers employed) and
within the canal at Sandown Road to Avonmouth Road (40 local labourers
employed)
May/June
2025 -
at Bayside Canal (40 local labourers employed) and within the canal at
Berkshire to Waterville (135 local labourers employed)
May
2025 -
within the Table Bay Nature Reserve Canal at Stephney Road (20 local
labourers employed) and at the Diep River site (20 local labourers
employed)
March/April
2025 -
within the canal at Sandown to Link Road (40 local labourers employed)
March
2025 -
within the canal at Sterling Crescent (20 local labourers employed)
February
2025 -
within the canal at Sandown to Koeberg Road (50 local labourers employed)
January
2025 -
within the canal at Braselton Channel (40 local labourers employed)
December
2024 -
within the canal at Link to Blaauwberg Road (33 local labourers employed)
Help us
protect our waterways
Residents
and businesses can help us protect our waterways by following responsible
discharge practices. The City's Stormwater Management By-Law strictly prohibits
the discharge of anything other than stormwater into the stormwater system,
while the Wastewater and Industrial Effluent By-Law ensures proper separation
of stormwater and sewer systems.
You can
help by:
-
Ensuring only clean rainwater enters stormwater drains, canals and catch pits
- Reporting illegal dumping or suspicious discharges into waterways
- Properly disposing of household chemicals, oils and paints through designated waste facilities
- Maintaining your property to prevent cross-connections between stormwater and sewer systems
- Using municipal waste collection services for garden refuse and litter
Do not:
- Discharge oils, chemicals, paints or industrial waste into stormwater systems
- Connect sewer pipes to stormwater drains or vice versa
- Dump garden refuse, litter or any solid waste into canals or catch pits
- Wash vehicles or equipment near stormwater inlets
- Allow contaminated runoff from your property to enter the stormwater system
‘These
simple actions support the City's investment in waterway maintenance and help
ensure our water bodies like the Rietvlei remain clean, healthy and accessible
for public enjoyment,’ said Councillor Badroodien.
End
Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office
