Dear Paardevlei supporters,
Today, we are celebrating a major milestone.
The City of Cape Town has officially announced its intention to proclaim Paardevlei Nature Reserve.
For everyone who signed our petition, shared our cause, spoke up for this special place, and stood with us: thank you. Your support helped show that Paardevlei matters deeply to the community, and that its protection is worth fighting for.
On 3 March 2026, the City announced that its Mayoral Committee has endorsed a proposal to proclaim two new nature reserves in the Helderberg area, including Paardevlei Nature Reserve, which would cover 75 hectares. The proposal will now go to Council for approval, after which it will move on to the next steps in the formal gazetting and public participation process.
This is the first official public notice we have received, and it is a huge moment.
For some time, we knew that the City’s Biodiversity Department had taken up the cause behind the scenes, and that the matter had been under discussion for months. Now, for the first time, this intention has been publicly confirmed.
We are incredibly grateful to everyone who helped carry this campaign forward. We also want to acknowledge the work being done on the ground by the Friends of Paardevlei committee, together with David Morris, Site Manager at Paardevlei, and the wider community. We have already held our first two invasive plant hack mornings, and the support has been inspiring. It is clear that people do not only want Paardevlei protected in principle — they are also willing to show up and care for it in practice.
Looking ahead, the Friends of Paardevlei committee will be working to formalise Friends Group membership so that community supporters can continue to play an active role in the future of the reserve. In collaboration with the City, site management, and other local organisations such as the Somerset West Bird Club, we hope to support a growing programme of volunteer events, guided walks, educational activities, and habitat restoration initiatives. Over time, we also hope to contribute to thoughtful visitor infrastructure that supports conservation and environmental learning, including possibilities such as bird hides and other low-impact facilities.
This announcement is not the end of the road, but it is a very significant step forward. It means the protection of Paardevlei is now officially on the table, in public, and moving through the formal process.
We will continue to keep you updated as the Council process and public participation phase unfold.
For now, though, this is a moment to recognise what has been achieved.
Together, we have helped move Paardevlei closer to the protection it deserves.
Read the City of Cape Town’s official announcement: HERE
With gratitude,
The Friends of Paardevlei
Stay connected with Friends of Paardevlei
You are receiving this email because you previously signed the petition relating to the protection of Paardevlei. The Friends of Paardevlei group would like to occasionally share updates about conservation efforts, community events, and developments relating to the Paardevlei wetland.
If you would like to continue receiving future updates, please take a moment to confirm your interest by completing the short form below:
➡️ Sign up for Friends of Paardevlei updates:
https://forms.gle/k3m8ABcRXV9Dynyr8
If you do not complete the form, you will not be added to the ongoing mailing list. You may also reply to this email with “unsubscribe” if you would prefer that we remove your contact details from our records. Personal information will be handled in accordance with South Africa’s Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA).