Work on the multi-million-rand Bayside Canal upgrade is set to resume this October after nearly a year-long suspension caused by a contractual dispute with the appointed contractor.
The project, which aims to improve water quality within Rietvlei and its surrounding catchment, was halted in November 2024 when approximately 55% of the work had been completed. Following due legal processes the matter was formally resolved in June 2025, paving the way for construction to continue once the rainy season is over.
Zahid Badroodien, Mayco member for Water and Sanitation, welcomed the development, stressing the importance of the upgrade for both the environment and local communities. “It’s crucial that work on this upgrade can now progress, as this is one of the City’s key investments to improve water quality within Rietvlei and its surrounds. As development within the catchment has grown there is a need to make improvements to the Bayside Canal to enable it to handle increased stormwater flows during peak periods and tackle litter and pollution entering stormwater channels into Rietvlei.”
When work resumes in October construction will focus on the stormwater canal leading to the primary sedimentation ponds, as well as the bypass canal from the secondary treatment channel to Rietvlei.
A long-awaited upgrade
The Bayside Canal upgrade has been the subject of ongoing community interest and concern, with several articles previously published by TygerBurger highlighting both the environmental impact of pollution in Rietvlei and residents’ frustration over the slow progress of the project. In past reports residents voiced alarm over litter, plastic waste and untreated stormwater ending up in the wetlands, a key biodiversity area and popular recreational site.
The project was originally welcomed as a long-term solution to those concerns, but the suspension in 2024 left many wondering whether it would ever be completed. The City’s confirmation that work will now resume offers reassurance that the promises made to the Table View community, and to Rietvlei itself, are finally back on track.
Looking ahead
The City has not yet provided a revised completion date for the project, but officials remain confident that once finished, the upgraded system will reduce pollution, improve stormwater management, and protect Rietvlei’s delicate ecosystem.
“This project is a vital step in safeguarding our natural environment while ensuring infrastructure keeps pace with development,” Badroodien added.
