Residents, volunteers, city officials and members of various organisations united and rolled up their sleeves to tackle and remove significant amounts of litter and debris caused by illegal dumping along the Soet River.
Strand, South Africa (14 October 2025) – Many residents and regular commuters of Strand may know of the eyesore that has become of the chronically polluted Soet River.
In commemoration of World Rivers Day and as part of a proactive effort to address this growing environmental challenge, hundreds of volunteers joined forces with the Soet River Catchment Management Forum on Wednesday, 1 October, to clean up a significant stretch of the contaminated river area.
Led by the Soet River Catchment Management Forum under the guidance of Dave Walker, the cleanup aimed to remove significant amounts of litter and debris caused by illegal dumping along the Soet River, trim grass and remove alien vegetation, clear verges and riverbanks, and educate residents about river stewardship and the harmful effects of illegal dumping on water bodies.
The well-supported initiative included members of the City’s Water and Sanitation, as well as Urban Waste Management Directorates.
Several community-based and private sector organisations also rolled up their sleeves to support the initiative, including Greenways Golf Estate, Plastics SA, Southern Turf Management, Helderberg Ocean Awareness Movement, The Litterboom Project, Dr GJ Joubert Primary School, Strand Secondary School, Blue Planet, Shoprite, Oasis Reach for Your Dreams, Making a Change and many residents.
Approximately 4,000 bags of waste were collected during a half-day clean-up operation, highlighting the effectiveness of teamwork in the restoration of the environment.
Also present on the day was the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Water and Sanitation, Councillor Zahid Badroodien, who explained that while City budgets for major bi-annual river clean-ups as part of ongoing maintenance, lasting impact can only be sustained by the involvement of broader society through community-led activities and personal commitment to responsible waste disposal.
“Every bottle and plastic recycled is waste redirected from polluting our rivers, and every resident who cares makes a significant difference. Thank you to all the volunteers and partners who dug deep for the sake of our environment. Together, we’re showing that there is hope for restoration, one clean river at a time,” Badroodien said.
Chairperson for the Soet River Catchment Management Forum, Dave Walker, confirmed that the City will be enhancing its maintenance programme for much-needed portions of the Soet River.
“That is anticipated to do a great deal to restore water flow in affected areas. I urge all residents to please attend meetings of the Soet River Catchment Management Forum. It’s an ideal opportunity for local residents to interact with officials and advise on matters relating to the water quality and flow of the Soet River. The next meeting is at the Strand Municipal offices at 16:00 on Tuesday, 14 October 2025,” Walker shared.
Sources: City of Cape Town
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