Lower Salt River Catchment Forum to lead river health initiatives
01 December 2025
A walkabout with the Lower Salt River Catchment Management Forum (LSR-CMF) and the Mayoral Committee Member for Water and Sanitation, Councillor Zahid Badroodien, has helped identify several projects along the river which will be receiving a R600 000 investment over 2025/2026. This investment will support practical actions that improve water quality, enhance river health and reduce pollution risks in the Black, Liesbeek and Salt rivers.
The multi-stakeholder forum was established by the City’s Water and Sanitation Directorate in May 2025 to drive collaborative, community-led solutions to help tackle pollution, flooding and other challenges in waterways within the catchment.
On Tuesday, 11 November 2025, a river walk took place along the stretch of the Liesbeek River which runs parallel to the Liesbeek Parkway towards the Riverlands Mall. Councillor Badroodien joined LSR-CMF executive members, chairperson Roland Postma, deputy chairperson Jessleena Suri and chairperson of the Friends of the Liesbeek River, Sarah Schumann. The visit helped confirm priority sites for environmental rehabilitation and routine maintenance work.
The Lower Salt River catchment’s main waterways include the Liesbeek and the Black rivers, which run through parts of Thornton, Maitland, Pinelands, Athlone, Mowbray, Observatory and Paarden Eiland.
The City will be investing R600 000 into the following initiatives this financial year. These efforts will help prepare waterways for higher winter flows, improve biodiversity, and strengthen stormwater performance across the catchment:
Liesbeek River: Removal of alien invasive vegetation and litter in the river, indigenous species planting, wetland rehabilitation and promoting sustainable urban drainage systems.
Black and Salt Rivers: Removal of water hyacinth and litter from these rivers using manual hand teams.
Waste interceptor cleaning: Weekly cleaning of two litterbooms installed in the Black River using manual hand teams.
‘Open forums like these are critical for good governance, and they also bring additional capacity to support local government initiatives to restore, protect and enhance our urban waterways and wetlands, in collaboration with the community. The LSR-CMF will be a vehicle for anyone who wants to be part of sustaining healthy rivers and wetlands. We want to encourage residents to join our public WhatsApp group to be involved,’ said Postma.
‘It was wonderful meeting such passionate and knowledgeable individuals who have a vision to address the various challenges within the Lower Salt Catchment. The aim of the LSR-CMF is to promote community engagement to improve environmental water quality and river management. We look forward to working closely with residents and partners as these projects roll out over the coming months,’ said Councillor Badroodien.
Caption 1: City's Mayoral Committee Member for Water and Sanitation, Councillor Zahid Badroodien at the Liesbeek River with the LSR-CMF.
Caption 2: The river walk with the LSR-CMF. From left: Khwezi Mahlungulu, Jessleena Suri, Roland Postma, Sarah Schumann, Kobus Delport and Councillor Zahid Badroodien.
Caption 3 (Dropbox): The Liesbeek River, which is part of the Lower Salt River Catchment
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Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office
