Cape Town has achieved a significant advancement in the restoration of Zeekoevlei, as dredging operations transition from Storm Bay to Home Bay after nearly a year of progress. This marks the first dredging activity at Zeekoevlei in over four decades, with the initiative having commenced in June 2025. During this period, more than 207,000 cubic meters of sediment have been successfully extracted from Storm Bay.
The restoration project now shifts its focus to Home Bay, where plans are underway to remove an additional 157,000 cubic meters of sediment over the next 10 months. The city officials have emphasized that the dredging effort aims to enhance water quality and rejuvenate the vlei’s ecosystem by eliminating decades of accumulated sediment and excess nutrients that have contributed to its environmental decline.
Eddie Andrews highlighted that this project forms a crucial part of the city’s broader strategy to rehabilitate and safeguard vital water bodies and natural ecosystems. Moving the dredging equipment required intricate procedures, including the installation of an additional two kilometers of pipeline and the relocation of substantial mooring blocks across the water.
The sediment extracted from Zeekoevlei is conveyed through a 6.3-kilometer slurry pipeline to dewatering ponds, where it undergoes drying and storage. The City of Cape Town has assured that the progress of this initiative is being closely monitored through regular hydrographic surveys, with the complete restoration project anticipated to reach completion by early 2027.