By Khanyisa Cebo
The City of Cape Town has joined forces with the Khayelitsha Canoe Club to clean up a local wetlands park to ensure that more than just rubbish floats in the water.
Efforts are underway to clear the Khayelitsha Wetlands Park of reeds and waste, so that canoeing enthusiasts can paddles and return to the sport they love.
“Currently, catchment teams are clearing the siltation and reeds to allow for open water once again,” said the chairperson of the City’s Mayoral Advisory Committee on Water Quality in Wetlands and Waterways, Alex Lansdowne.
“This will allow the Khayelitsha Canoe Club to begin canoeing activities for community members and tourists again. I firmly believe that we can only protect urban waterways when communities are utilising them. I hope to soon join the Khayelitsha Canoe Club to paddle on this important wetland asset in Cape Town,” he said.
The City became involved in the project in May after the wetlands advisory committee, together with the portfolio committee chairperson of community services and health, Ronel Viljoen, conducted a joint oversight visit to the park, which is nestled on the lower reaches of the Kuils River.
The Kuils River drains a catchment that covers around 240 square kilometres, recharging the important Cape Flats Aquifer.
“Healthy waterways are being increasingly recognised around the world as important economic assets. As Cape Town rapidly urbanises, we need to do everything to protect and restore rivers for all communities and future generations,” said Lansdowne.
Co-founded of the Khayelitsha Canoe Club, Siyanda Sopangisa, who launched the club with his brother in 2013, said they looked forward to resuming activities after two years.
"The clean up process started after the mayor said he wants to see us paddle again. We couldn't paddle for up to two years."
"The clean up will grow the township economy. It's something that even excites the little kids. We don't have the funds to do the whole project on our own, so we're thankful to the mayor."
Sopangisa added: "This is something we definitely welcome. It's a huge relief."
Local ANC ward councillor Thando Pimpi said although he welcomed the latest development, it was too little, too late.
“For the past five years, we struggled with no water and no taps in the Qandu Qandu informal settlement. The City of Cape Town had, last year, made a promise to supply the wetland with water, but our efforts (were) in vain,” said Pimpi.
“This is something that should have happened a long time ago. It’s an ongoing problem.”
But Lansdowne said the pandemic hampered the City’s ability to protect this wetland in the park facility, which was plagued by illegal dumping, illegal sewage connections and land invasions.
“I was saddened to see that the wetland subsequently choked with bulrushes. As a result of this siltation, there was no open water for canoeing or water-based recreation, which are key offerings of this park,” Lansdowne added.
In the meantime, the Mother City is now one of 43 accredited-wetland cities around the world.
This accreditation was awarded to Cape Town at an event on Thursday evening in Geneva, Switzerland, and was announced after the Cape Metro's application through a strict review process went through.
Cities from across the world were recognised for their efforts to ensure that wetlands were protected, rehabilitated and restored
The other cities across the globe include Ifrane in Morocco, Valencia in Spain, Sackville in Canada and Kigali in Rwanda.
Weekend Argus.