Community steps up to restore neglected river section in Lakeside

A group of local residents has officially come together to restore a neglected section of the Westlake River between Steenberg Road and Main Road, Lakeside.

The Friends of Orchard Village Waterways (FoOVW) was formed in May 2025 to rehabilitate this previously overlooked waterway and restore its natural beauty.

The group's work includes indigenous plant restoration to support biodiversity, pollution management through litter booms and clean-ups, and the control of invasive species threatening the health of the river.

Their efforts also help protect local wildlife, such as the Cape clawless otter, Western leopard toad, and birdlife, including spoonbills, coots, cormorants, and kingfishers.

The founding members, Hannes Kok, Anthony McLennan, and Alex Sparg, each noticed the river’s poor condition independently and began taking action on their own before teaming up.

Mr Kok, a climate change and environmental consultant, began clearing invasive plants and rubbish from the river in 2024 and even created a garden on what was once wasteland.

“It was clear something had to be done,” he said.

Mr McLennan, a photographer and longtime local resident, became aware of the problem while walking his dogs in the area.

After moving closer to the river last year, he started clearing litter and soon connected with Mr Kok to develop a project proposal for the City of Cape Town.

They were later joined by landscape architect Alex Sparg, who had also been looking into restoration options in the area.

“We realised we had the same goals and that our skills complemented each other,” Mr Kok said.

The team is focusing their efforts on a section of the river not currently covered by any other City-led projects.

“It’s not part of the Zandvlei Conservation Area or the upstream Living Urban Waterways project, so it’s fallen through the cracks,” Mr Kok explained.

After informal talks with ward councillor Carolynne Franklin and a proposal to the City, the group began working closely with municipal departments such as Recreation and Parks and Water and Sanitation.

On-site meetings were held with City officials, other local environmental groups, and residents' associations to develop a practical way forward.

With support from councillor Franklin, who is “deeply passionate about the environment,” according to the group, the City agreed to send in teams for manual clearing of invasive species, rather than using heavy machinery.

She praised the group’s efforts, calling them “a great example of what can be achieved through a community-led City partnership.”

This shift, according to Mr Kok, has already helped reduce damage to the riverbanks and protect wildlife.

Species like the Cape clawless otter, Western leopard toad, frogs, and a variety of birds—including spoonbills, kingfishers, and herons—have all been spotted in the area.

The group believes the increased wildlife presence is already a sign that their work is making a difference.

Recent efforts include planting indigenous milkwood trees with help from local children and the creation of a new indigenous garden along Chenel Way.

“Some kids helped dig holes for the trees, others pulled out weeds—it was really encouraging to see the community pitch in,” Mr Kok said.

Future plans include installing litter booms to stop solid waste and invasive plants from flowing into the area, restoring riverbanks with indigenous vegetation, and even exploring the creation of a wetland section to naturally filter out chemical or sewage spills.

They also hope to install a floating plant litterboom, which will both filter the water and offer habitat for local wildlife.

“There’s plenty people can do—from picking up litter to helping water the trees in summer,” said Mr Kok.

He added that while some areas in Cape Town face more severe water pollution, they hope that by being proactive and working together, they can keep this section of the river healthy and inspire other communities to follow suit.

Residents who’d like to get involved can join the Friends of Orchard Village Waterways Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/foovw.