In celebration of World Wetlands Day 2024, the City’s Deputy Mayor and Mayoral Committee Member for Spatial Planning and Environment, Alderman Eddie Andrews, joined staff from the City’s Biodiversity Management Branch, the City’s River Wardens and a host of Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) staff who specifically focus on protecting green infrastructure and natural systems at the Rondevlei section of the False Bay Nature Reserve. The morning consisted of insightful sessions on the crucial role that wetlands play in enhancing human wellbeing. The group took the opportunity to also clear invasive species at the wetland.
Of South Africa’s 791 wetland ecosystem types, 48% are critically endangered; 12% are endangered; 5% are vulnerable and 35% are classified as least threatened, making wetlands the most threatened ecosystems in South Africa.
‘This morning I visited the Rondevlei section of the False Bay Nature Reserve and was hosted by our dedicated River Wardens. I saw true environmental stewardship as we collectively cleared invasive alien species at Rondevlei which clogs up our water systems and invades our wetlands due to the high nutrient load in urban systems. The River Wardens are well versed in environmental conservation and I am very grateful for the hard work that all these EPWP workers are putting in to ensure that our waterways and wetlands in the False Bay, Zandvlei and Table Bay Nature Reserves are taken care of.
‘Our staff could not stress enough how restoring and preserving our precious wetland ecosystems plays a vital role in ensuring the overall wellbeing of the surrounding communities and our city,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Spatial Planning and Environment, Alderman Eddie Andrews.
The City of Cape Town’s River Wardens are based at the Table Bay, Zandvlei and False Bay Nature Reserve. The primary objective of the River Warden Programme is to enhance ecosystem health in the City’s catchment areas. Going above and beyond existing services, the programme champions the eradication of invasive plant species, facilitates rehabilitation activities along the City’s waterways, and does litter collection and removal.
