The Ummati Community Upliftment Project, a non-profit organisation based in Tafelsig, Mitchells Plain, has been recognised as one of the City of Cape Town’s grant recipients for its work to improve the quality of local waterways.
Through the City’s Water and Sanitation Directorate, Ummati joins 10 other community-based organisations receiving funding to help address challenges such as sewer blockages, overflows, and pollution. The initiative forms part of the City’s broader strategy to strengthen partnerships with communities in safeguarding urban rivers and promoting responsible water use.
As part of its project plan, Ummati has launched a series of six workshops titled “Keep it Flowing: Water, Sanitation and You”, aimed at young people between the ages of 18 and 24. The interactive sessions focus on water conservation, educating participants about common causes of sewer overflows, and encouraging good sanitation practices. Each workshop concludes with a community clean-up in local parks and public spaces, offering residents a chance to take tangible action in caring for their environment.
“The City cannot tackle the vast challenges in the water and sanitation sector alone. By forming meaningful partnerships like the one with Ummati, we are able to amplify our collective reach and impact. It’s a great opportunity to support passionate, local residents who promote wise water use to others and seek solutions to address challenges with sewage incidents from the community’s perspective,” said Councillor Zahid Badroodien, the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Water and Sanitation.
Ilhaam Herbst, representing the Ummati Community Upliftment Project, said the initiative is about building both awareness and community pride. “Through these initiatives we aim to empower our community to take ownership of how we interact with the environment. By receiving support from the City to do this work as volunteers, we feel that we really are working together towards a common goal — restoring dignity in sanitation and safeguarding our shared water resources. Partnering not only helps to address our immediate concerns such as water pollution and sewer overflows, but also helps us instill changes in everyday habits among the youth. The clean-ups are a great activity for all of us to get involved in taking care of our shared community spaces like parks, especially for children and families to safely enjoy,” she said.
