1,000 Learners Remove More Than a Tonne of Waste in Diep River Eco Challenge
More than 1,000 learners from 26 schools have helped remove over a tonne of waste from the Diep River catchment through a five-month environmental challenge supported by the City of Cape Town. The initiative, run in partnership with the non-profit organisation Save-a-Fishie, combined hands-on conservation with environmental education to encourage young people to become champions for cleaner waterways.
Running from February to June 2026, the programme formed part of the City’s grant funding initiative supporting community organisations working to improve the health of Cape Town’s rivers, wetlands and coastline. Schools from across the Diep River catchment, stretching from Malmesbury to Macassar, took part in the challenge.
Over the course of the competition, learners completed 31 community clean-up events, removing 953kg of litter while also sorting recyclable waste, raising awareness about stormwater pollution and participating in environmental education activities. The campaign highlighted how litter discarded in streets is washed through stormwater systems into rivers before eventually reaching the ocean.
The competition concluded with a beach clean-up at Milnerton Lagoon Beach on 20 June, where the five finalist schools collected an additional 173kg of litter. Together, the challenge resulted in more than 1.1 tonnes of waste being removed from the environment.
Liebenberg Primary School in Malmesbury was named the overall winner, earning a R20,000 prize for the school. Every learner who participated received a medal, certificate and gift bag in recognition of their contribution.
The City of Cape Town says initiatives like this not only improve the health of local waterways but also help inspire a new generation of environmentally conscious citizens. Save-a-Fishie believes the programme has created lasting awareness in participating schools, with eco-clubs and environmental stewardship expected to continue long after the competition has ended.