{"id":298464,"date":"2026-03-05T15:25:41","date_gmt":"2026-03-05T13:25:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/peoplespost\/zeekoevlei-remains-closed-due-to-dangerous-toxin-levels\/"},"modified":"2026-03-06T09:57:03","modified_gmt":"2026-03-06T07:57:03","slug":"zeekoevlei-remains-closed-due-to-dangerous-toxin-levels","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/peoplespost\/zeekoevlei-remains-closed-due-to-dangerous-toxin-levels\/","title":{"rendered":"Zeekoevlei remains closed due to dangerous toxin levels"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

CAPE TOWN –<\/strong> After being closed for two years, when the Zeekoevlei freshwater lake will be reopened remains a mystery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was found to have “high risk” levels of toxicity of the freshwater lake, which posed a significant health and ecological risk, says the City <\/a>of Cape Town.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The water body’s extended closure has barred all recreational activities, including fishing, as dangerous toxin levels persist throughout the False Bay Nature Reserve system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Its 2024 closure, after blue-green algae blooms producing elevated microcystin levels were found in it, protects public health against serious risks associated with cyanobacterial toxins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To alleviate the issue the City was undertaking a major 26-month, R100+ million dredging project at Zeekoevlei, launched in June last year, to remove 360 000+ m\u00b3 of nutrient-rich sediment from Storm and Home Bays.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This aims to improve water quality, reduce algal blooms and restore the ecosystem using a specialised floating suction dredger, with material pumped to the Cape Flats Wastewater Treatment Works for drying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lake is 258 ha in area and located in the Southern Suburbs of Cape Town.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Deputy Mayor and Mayco member for Spatial Planning and Environment, Eddie Andrews, confirmed current Microcystin levels at all sampling points fell within the “very hig- risk” category, exceeding 30 \u00b5g\/L.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“The bloom poses a significant health and ecological risk, and a precautionary approach remains essential,” Andrews said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reopening requirements<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Before any reopening can occur Zeekoevlei must record two consecutive toxin readings below the “high risk” category of 20 \u00b5g\/L.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, officials cannot predict when this milestone will be achieved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Andrews explained that blue-green algal blooms respond to environmental factors including temperature, wind and nutrient availability, with late summer and autumn typically favouring algal growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Long-term solutions needed<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

While a dredging project aims to reduce pollutants within Zeekoevlei, addressing the root cause requires mitigating nutrient and pollutant inputs from the upper catchment. Current E. coli readings in the in-flowing Big Lotus River remain above safe thresholds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Ideally, addressing nutrient sources would help ‘starve’ the bloom, but in hypertrophic systems such as Zeekoevlei this is challenging,” Andrews noted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ongoing monitoring<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The City continued monitoring the system closely, prioritising user safety through science-based health risk thresholds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The precautionary closure reflects the serious nature of cyanobacterial toxin exposure and can cause severe illness in humans and animals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Residents should remain patient while authorities work towards sustainable solutions for this valuable recreational resource.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ Extended working hours for Zeekoevlei dredging<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Zeekoevlei closed since 2024 due to dangerous toxin levels. 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