Residents of Grassy Park and the Princess Vlei Forum (PVF), who fought for more than a decade to preserve Princess Vlei from a proposed shopping mall development, celebrated the launch of the Princess Vlei trail after the ribbon was cut on Wednesday 10 June.

The launch of the R10,2 million Princess Vlei circulatory trail highlighted the collaboration between the City of Cape Town, the Princess Vlei Forum (PVF) and local communities who fought to preserve the vlei’s historical heritage.

Journey

The 4,23 km trail inside Princess Vlei Park includes: resting spaces with seating and litter bins, and a number of boardwalks and bridges where people can get closer to the water’s edge.

Princess Vlei is a breeding site for the endangered Western Leopard Toad (Amietophrynus pantherinus).

Speaking at the opening, Ward 72 councillor Kevin Southgate reflected on the journey that led to the creation of the trail.

“Many years ago, Princess Vlei became the focus of significant public debate when proposals were made to develop a shopping mall on the site,” he said.

“The community responded with passion and determination, not simply by opposing the development, but by putting forward a positive vision for the future of this treasured space.”

Community effort

Southgate said that vision evolved into the People’s Plan for Princess Vlei, developed through the Imagine Princess Vlei campaign and grounded in conservation, recreation, heritage and community ownership.

Over the years, improvements at the site have included a new entranceway, paved parking areas, picnic facilities, children’s play areas, a lookout platform and ongoing indigenous vegetation restoration, he added.

“The opening of this walking trail is more than the unveiling of a new piece of infrastructure. It is a celebration of what can be achieved when communities, civic organisations and government work together towards a shared vision,” he said.

Mayco member for community services and health, Francine Higham, described Princess Vlei as “a place of memory, heritage, biodiversity, recreation and deep community meaning”.

“To support the long-term activation and safety of Princess Vlei, we are pleased to announce that the City will deploy a dedicated ranger presence in the area from July this year,” Higham said.

Providing an overview of the project, Hugo van Niekerk from the City’s planning, design and project management department explained that the conceptual development framework for Princess Vlei dates back to 2014, while detailed design work only began in 2022.

Van Niekerk said the project required environmental authorisations, water-use applications, heritage approvals and extensive planning processes before construction could begin.

Design

He emphasised that the design team sought to create a pathway that worked with nature rather than cutting through it.

“Princess Vlei is more than just a public open space. It is a living, breathing landscape with a unique emotional quality,” he said.

The design also took into account the site’s ecological significance, including the presence of the critically endangered Western Cape Leopard Toad and rare indigenous vegetation.

Princess Vlei Forum representative Bridget Pitt described the opening as the realisation of a community dream more than ten years in the making.

“When we were campaigning to stop the proposed mall development, we spent a great deal of time consulting with community members and asking them what they would like to see at Princess Vlei,” she said.

While facilities such as braai areas and children’s play areas were identified as priorities, she said the walking trail consistently emerged as one of the community’s strongest requests.

“This project has truly been the result of collaboration between the City and the community,” she said.

History

Khoi-San community activist Mary Ann Jansen said preserving Princess Vlei was also about protecting indigenous heritage and cultural identity.

“We were involved in the struggle to have Princess Vlei declared a heritage site. It was a long battle that lasted many years, but ultimately we were successful in having it recognised and protected as a heritage site for the people,” she said.

The history of the Vlei and the efforts to embrace and restore Khoisan heritage paired very well, she added.

“Princess Vlei and the surrounding area are deeply significant. Adjacent to the vlei is Elephant’s Eye, where the water originates.

There is also a cave that was used by indigenous people in the past. It was a place where they sought shelter and conducted spiritual ceremonies and sacrifices. It is considered a sacred site,” she said.

There’s a famous myth that sparked the name of the Vlei in which legend has it years ago a Khoisan princess would come down to bathe and swim in the Vlei, Jansen added.

“That is why Princess Vlei is much more than just a name. Everything here has a story. As indigenous people, we remain active because we want to restore our history. Many people in Cape Town do not know their true identity or their history,” she said.

“Princess Vlei is much more than a name. It represents a rich cultural history and a connection to the people who lived here long before modern Cape Town existed,” added fellow Khoisan community activist, Tony Jansen.

Among those celebrating the launch were local residents Fatima Chutler and Zureyda Raven from Retreat, who have lived in the area for more than 40 years.

The site also contains remnants of the critically endangered Cape Flats Sand Fynbos vegetation and is home to endangered fynbos species including the Marsh Heath (Erica verticillata) and the Strawberry Spiderhead (Serruria foeniculacea).

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