Friends of the Rivers of Hout Bay benefits from the City's grant funding
14 July 2025
On 1 July 2025, the Mayoral Committee Member for Water and Sanitation, Councillor Zahid Badroodien met with the Friends of the Rivers of Hout Bay at the Kadotstroom. The community-based organisation is driving clean-ups, conversation and research to improve the quality of the waterways in the area.
In May 2025, the Water and Sanitation Directorate provided grant funding to the Friends of the Rivers of Hout Bay and 10 other community-based organisations to create partnerships to collectively enhance water and sanitation services across the city.
‘The grant funding that the Friends of the Rivers of Hout Bay received from the City has made a material difference to the impact we are able to make on the Hout Bay catchment. We have almost doubled our conservation work and also significantly increased the amount of litter we collect. This is aside from the expert study we can commission due to the funding,’ said Jackie Whales, Chairperson of the Friends of the Rivers of Hout Bay.
‘The aim of the directorate’s grant funding is to support local initiatives that encourage residents to play an active role in safeguarding water and sanitation community assets in their areas. These partnerships are intended to deliver measurable, sustainable results over the coming months,’ said Councillor Badroodien.
As part of their project plan, the Friends of the Rivers of Hout Bay will be undertaking the following key activities:
• Litter collection and removal: The team will expand its current waste collection efforts along the rivers, wetlands and nearby beaches from two to three days per week. The goal is to increase the amount of litter collected each month from 1 400kg to 2 000kg.
• Conservation work: The organisation will grow its conservation team from two to five staff members, plus a supervisor, operating across the entire week. This team will focus on clearing invasive plant species, stabilising riverbanks, and planting vegetation in selected areas along the Hout Bay River, Kadotstroom and the Hout Bay wetlands. One of the sites will also undergo planting to support long-term river rehabilitation.
• Academic research and ecological assessment: A detailed field study of the middle reaches of the Hout Bay River – from Victoria Bridge to the Longkloof weir – will be conducted by renowned river rehabilitation expert, Dr Patricia Holmes. The findings will inform future restoration efforts and contribute to the Environmental Management Plan (EMP) for the river.‘Thanks to the City’s grant funding, we’ve been able to take our work to the next level. We’ve nearly doubled our conservation efforts, expanded litter collection and, for the first time, are able to commission expert ecological research to guide the long-term rehabilitation of our rivers. This support empowers our community to make a real, lasting difference to the health of Hout Bay’s waterways,’ said Whales.
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Published by:
Media Office, City of Cape Town
