They might look simple but these metal grids are doing big things for Cape Town’s environment.
Western Cape, South Africa (28 July 2025) – A quiet revolution is taking place across the Mother City’s waterways and it’s one that’s already making a visible difference.
Thanks to a recent initiative from Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis and the City of Cape Town, 20 rivers and canals have been fitted with permanent waste interceptors… simple but smart structures that are helping stop pollution in its tracks.
And the best part is it is working.
“I’m very pleased that another 20 rivers and canals across the City now have new permanent waste interceptors,” the Mayor shared proudly. “These have been installed in the last few weeks. We want to clean up our rivers, beaches and ocean!”
So, what exactly is a permanent waste interceptor? Well, it’s a strong metal grid, strategically placed in a river, canal or stormwater outflow. It allows water to flow through freely but traps plastic bags, bottles, chip packets and other rubbish before they can be swept out to sea. From there, the rubbish is collected and disposed of, preventing it from ending up on beaches, in marine ecosystems, or inside ocean wildlife.
This isn’t just a quick clean-up. It’s a long-term investment in the health of Cape Town’s rivers, coastlines and marine biodiversity.
Capetonians have noticed and social media has lit up with support.
“It never ceases to amaze me (an ex Pretorian, and still, unashamedly, a Blue Bulls supporter) how effortless CCT makes fabulous governance happen… I just might become a Stormers supporter soon…”
“Thank you so much for this PROGRESS, all my respect to you and your team!!! Know that you are not alone in this, in our community we try make a difference every day as well. Never stop.”
“Great initiative. Need to maintain and keep these waste interceptors clean, otherwise they could cause upstream flooding. One way of keeping them clean is not to put junk into the rivers in the first place!”
“But who is going to clean those waste interceptors? I hope City of Cape Town is going to clean the rivers of all the grass and other rubbish too… that also is a big problem. Thank you for this clever idea.”
The questions are valid. And they speak to something important: people care. Communities want to get involved, they’re asking the right questions and they’re seeing the value in local government that acts with purpose.
“Keep an eye out for these new waste interceptors popping up across the city,” Hill-Lewis encouraged. “Let’s keep our rivers and ocean clean together!”
This is what collaboration looks like… between leadership, infrastructure and everyday people who just want to live in a cleaner, better environment. Also, Cape Town’s rivers are flowing a little clearer today. And with more interceptors being installed, the ocean has a better chance of staying blue and beautiful for generations to come.
And that feels like a really good thing!
by 
Wish Cape Town would sort out their sewage. That goes straight through the traps.