“Stop the Sewage” petition draws close to 3 000 signatures
A petition launched by the advocacy group Bays of Sewage Helderberg calling for an end to sewage spills has garnered close to 3 000 signatures since the start of the year.
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A petition launched by the advocacy group Bays of Sewage Helderberg calling for an end to sewage spills has garnered close to 3 000 signatures since the start of the year.
The group is calling on the City of Cape Town to adopt a pollution control response, formally recognise ratepayer associations as stakeholders in Subcouncil 8 decisions, and implement enhanced water-quality monitoring with independent oversight and daily public dashboards, among other demands.
According to the petition, the community has experienced ongoing sewage discharges into key recreational areas, leaving residents and businesses struggling with persistent smells, with uncertainty to recreational water quality.
"This contamination fuels public anxiety that impacts recreational enjoyment and threatens tourism, as economic repercussion erodes property values and livelihoods," the petition states.
The group was also expected to hold a peaceful march on Friday evening, January 16. Planned activities included raising community awareness about sewage spills, handing over a memorandum of demands to the City, and a beach clean-up.
Water quality advocate Jamii Hamlin, of Bays of Sewage - Helderberg, said that while the group acknowledges the City’s sewage network upgrades in the Helderberg and other areas, sewage contamination contributes to environmental degradation and poses health risk.
“We regularly receive complaints of illnesses and infections related to suspected poor water quality, and always request the public to report these via email to Councillor Francine Higham, yet few people bother," Mr Hamlin said.
He added that some seasonal swimmers and surfers have stopped using Strand Beach entirely after reportedly suffering critical illnesses following exposure believed to be linked to ongoing sewage overflows.
The petition has raised several grievances for written acknowledgement from the City, along with a binding action plan by March 31, 2026, outlining revenue collection for maintenance or upgrades, allocations, and other demands, which include the implementation of a proactive Water Quality Flag System as a step to achieve Blue Flag beach amenities to improve the user experience.
In response, the City said its Water and Sanitation Directorate has invested approximately R430 million in upgrading key infrastructure within the Helderberg sewer system, including sewer pipe replacements and the maintenance of coastal sewer pump stations.
The City said its Water and Sanitation Directorate has invested approximately R430 million in upgrading key infrastructure within the Helderberg sewer system, including sewer pipe replacements and the maintenance of coastal sewer pump stations.
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Deputy mayor and mayoral committee member for spatial planning and environment Eddie Andrews said residents and visitors could be assured that Strand Beach remains safe.
"The City has intensified monitoring along the Strand coastline, including the main surfing and swimming areas, with daily testing from Monday to Friday for the past 18 months – which is an exceptional frequency by global standards, " he said.
“Coastal water quality at Strand beach has been consistently good. While sewer spills do occur, isolated incidents do not automatically mean water quality along the whole stretch is poor or unsafe."
Mayoral Committee Member for Water and Sanitation Zahid Badroodien added that the City hosts quarterly feedback sessions with communities to promote transparency around these multi-million-rand investments.
“The last public meeting took place in December 2025 to keep the community updated as transparency and communication with our residents are key,” he said.
The Bays of Sewage Helderberg’s full list of demands includes:
Formal recognition of ratepayer associations as stakeholders in Subcouncil 8
Release of audited CAFR financial revenue and expenditure reports within 14 days
Adoption of a pollution control response, including public updates on sewage network incidents and overflow hotspots
Implementation of a water quality flag system, based on national guidelines, with independent oversight and daily public dashboards
Installation of adequate public showers and after-hours paid ablution facilities at key nodes
Enforcement of NEMA Section 28 and 30 notices, including immediate public alerts within two hours of sewage spills
Achievement of WESSA Blue Flag status within five years
Halt new developments until infrastructure capacity is sufficient to prevent spills
Economic relief and compensation mechanisms for affected residents, businesses and environmental health risks
The City said its Water and Sanitation Directorate is busy with sewer pipe replacements and the maintenance of coastal sewer pump stations in the Helderberg sewer system.
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