14 tonnes of litter removed from Soet River through community partnership

22 September 2026

More than 14 tonnes of litter were removed from the Soet River in Helderberg through an environmental restoration and awareness project supported by grant funding from the City of Cape Town’s Water and Sanitation Directorate.

From 1 April 2025 to 30 June 2026, local NGO Making a Change, carried out mechanical and manual clean-ups, sorted and removed litter, and rehabilitated a blocked culvert to improve water flow along the river. 

The project combined environmental education, targeted clean-ups and community engagement, with documentary-style videos produced to raise awareness about river pollution and responsible litter disposal. About 80 volunteers took part in three clean-up initiatives, assisting with litter collection, sorting, site support and specialised culvert rehabilitation, while residents along the Soet River and in surrounding communities joined environmental discussions and awareness activities.

‘We value the contribution of organisations and residents who are willing to get involved and make a difference in their communities. These partnerships complement the City’s work and help build greater awareness of the importance of keeping our waterways clean and protecting them for future generations,’ said Alderman Zahid Badroodien, the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Water and Sanitation.

‘For us, the Soet River project is deeply personal. The Making a Change team is from the Helderberg, and this river runs through the community we call home. Many of us have driven past it for years and watched the pollution build up, so being able to take part in restoring it meant much more than simply completing a project,’ said Dean van Schalkwyk from Making a Change.

Caption 1: Mechanical clean-up operations along the Soet River, where heavy equipment was used to remove accumulated litter.

Caption 2: Community volunteers and Making a Change team members work together during a Soet River clean-up to remove litter and improve the river environment. 

Caption 3: Making a Change co-founder, Andrew Forte, overlooking the heavily polluted Soet River during the project, highlighting the scale of the challenge facing this important Helderberg waterway.