The Greater Tygerberg Partnership (GTP) is set to expand community-led rehabilitation of the Elsieskraal River in Bellville’s Elizabeth Park, backed by grant funding from the City of Cape Town.

As one of the City’s 22 grant recipients for 2026, the GTP will use the funding to introduce indigenous wetland and riverine vegetation, support community awareness initiatives, and strengthen local involvement in protecting this important urban waterway.

Community action drives early results

On 25 April, GTP and its partners removed 312.81 kg of waste from the river and surrounding park area during a community clean-up event, hosted with the support of the Litterboom Project. The exercise highlighted both the environmental pressures facing the waterway and the tangible impact of organised community-led action.

The event brought together nearby property owners, student housing residents, and daily park users, reflecting the broad local interest in improving the river environment.

Restoring the river through indigenous planting

The rehabilitation project centres on introducing indigenous riverine and wetland vegetation along the Elsieskraal River corridor. The planting, scheduled for June, aims to filter pollutants naturally, improve habitat conditions, and enhance the ecological functioning of the river. Community clean-up and educational activities complement the planting programme, forming part of a broader integrated approach to long-term environmental stewardship.

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Councillor Zahid Badroodien, Mayco member for water and sanitation, welcomed the partnership’s contribution: “The efforts of the GTP will contribute greatly to the health of the Elsieskraal River while helping to create a cleaner and more welcoming public space for residents and visitors to Elizabeth Park. Partnerships such as these demonstrate the important role communities play in protecting and improving our local waterways.”

A shared vision for a greener Bellville

The City’s water and sanitation directorate continues to support community-based organisations working to restore and protect local waterways and wetlands through its environmental grant funding programme.

Nasmera Buckus, Chief Operations Officer of the GTP, said the investment was enabling meaningful and lasting change: “The Elsieskraal River is more than a waterway — it is a shared community asset with the power to connect people, nature, and place. We are incredibly grateful for this investment, which is enabling us to restore biodiversity, improve environmental health and inspire greater community ownership of our natural spaces.

Every tree planted, every invasive species removed, and every person engaged contributes to a stronger, greener, and more resilient Bellville. Together, we are proving that lasting change happens when communities, partners, and stakeholders come together around a shared vision.”