Mounds of trash turned into community action! The residents of Gugulethu, Nyanga, and Borchard’s Quarry have been working with Lokshin Pioneers to tackle illegal dumping in their areas as well as build practical solutions against flooding.
Cape Town, South Africa (02 July 2026) – Some moments call for action. Realising that the mounds of litter growing around their neighbourhood were no longer acceptable, the residents of Gugulethu rolled up their sleeves to take ownership of the community they call home.
In a clean-up initiative spearheaded by the community organisation Lokshin Pioneers, residents joined volunteers to tackle the pollution in the Gugulethu Canal. Together, they removed 150 bags of waste and installed a ‘No Dumping’ sign to help deter future illegal dumping.
With support from the City, Lokshin Pioneers has also been working with residents of Nyanga and the Borchard’s Quarry precinct to develop practical solutions that reduce the impact of flooding in their areas.
The Borchard’s Quarry precinct serves as a gateway between Nyanga and Gugulethu and experiences frequent drainage and sewer blockages. This contributes to flooding near informal dwellings, especially during periods of heavy rain.
Illegal dumping into the Gugulethu Canal further exacerbates these challenges by restricting water flow.
To address these challenges and mitigate sanitary and potential flooding issues, Lokshin Pioneers hosted two awareness-raising initiatives, namely the Khuseleka Clean-up and Awareness campaign held on 29 May at the Gugulethu Canal as well as the Khuseleka Career Expo held on 25 March at the J.L. Zwane Centre in Gugulethu. More than 160 learners from Luzuko, Ilitha and Sokhanyo Primary Schools attended the expo to learn about future career opportunities, the importance of protecting local waterways and the role that various departments play during natural disasters.
Presentations were made by the City’s Water and Sanitation, Urban Waste Management and Disaster Risk Management departments during these initiatives.
“We feel that the partnership with the City was a great success and that we increased community awareness about the dangers of illegal dumping,” said Sithembele Ntaba, founder of Lokshin Pioneers.
The City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Water and Sanitation, Councillor Zahid Badroodien, shared similar sentiments, saying that community-driven initiatives are instrumental in increasing local participation in environmental stewardship and water conservation.
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Cape Town Kayakers Rescue Starving African Penguin Far Out to Sea“Our partners, Lokshin Pioneers, are challenging the community to re-evaluate behavioural root causes of blockages, which lead to flooding in their surroundings. Through education, these efforts are helping to change mindsets and encourage multi-stakeholder collaboration for a cleaner environment,” Badroodien said.
This is the power of communities working together – building a future with reduced flooding, clearer waterways, and a protected environment.
Sources: City of Cape Town
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