The City of Cape Town’s Biodiversity Management Branch opened the sluice gates of the Zeekoevlei weir yesterday, 15 May 2022, for the annual drawdown of the Zeekoevlei that is situated within the False Bay Nature Reserve. This intervention allows the vlei to be flushed of pollutants and clean-up work to be undertaken by the reserve staff and volunteer groups. The vlei area, which is drawn down, will be closed until mid-July.

The City would like to inform residents that this closure will affect all water sports in the Zeekoevlei portion of the nature reserve for the next two months.

‘During the drawdown period, the vlei drains and the lowered water levels allows for easier access to remove litter and excess reeds from the vlei. Early winter rains flush pollutants and nutrients out of the vlei, allowing for cleaner water later in the season. Over the next two months, The Friends of Zeekoevlei and Rondevlei (FoZR) will be assisting and co-ordinating clean ups with the reserve. I encourage residents who are keen to assist in these clean ups to approach them and get involved during this opportune time,’ said the City’s Deputy Mayor and Mayoral Committee Member for Spatial Planning and Environment, Alderman Eddie Andrews.

‘Nature-based solutions, such as the annual opening of the Zeekoevlei weir, are critical to maintaining good inland water quality. Through the Mayoral Inland Water Quality Programme, we are investing in further protecting urban waterways and wetlands for nature and people’, said Councillor Alex Lansdowne, Deputy Chairperson, Mayoral Advisory Committee: Water Quality in Wetlands & Waterways.

Residents are reminded that during the drawdown period, no shoreline maintenance activities may be conducted at Zeekoevlei. Residents cannot do any alterations to the shoreline. If residents would like to undertake activities in this area of the nature reserve, they need to approach the reserve management.

This includes activities such as the following:

• Cutting or digging of reeds
• Removal or disturbance of soil or vegetation
• Use of machinery (e.g. bulldozers)
• Planting of vegetation (indigenous or exotic species)
• Any construction (e.g. boardwalks, retaining walls, fishing platforms etc.)
• Driving of vehicles (e.g. quad bikes, motorbikes, truck or any other motor vehicles) in the vlei.
• No jetties may be constructed; nor existing jetties replaced.
• Dogs must remain under the control of dog owners at all times and must not be allowed to run in the wetland, disturbing the local fauna and flora.

Source: City Of Cape Town