WORKING TOGETHER FOR WATER SECURITY IN THE CAPE

This fact sheet by WWF South Africa describes the Boland Groot Winterhoek Strategic Water Source Areas (SWSA) Collective, a multistakeholder platform established in 2022 to secure critical water-rich catchments in the Western Cape. The Collective coordinates efforts to rehabilitate ecological infrastructure, manage invasive alien plants, and align governance between national and local levels to ensure water security for millions of residents and regional agriculture.

• The Boland and Groot Winterhoek Strategic Water Source Areas (SWSAs) are critical for the water security of the Western Cape and Cape Town. The Boland SWSA provides 97% of the water for the City of Cape Town and its surroundings, while the Groot Winterhoek SWSA supplies Cape Town, Atlantis, Saldanha, and Ceres.
• The Boland SWSA covers 608,054 hectares, with 70% natural or semi-natural land cover, 20% agricultural use, and 5% urban areas; 43% of the area is formally protected. The Groot Winterhoek SWSA covers 518,310 hectares, with 87% natural or semi-natural land cover and 11% agricultural use; 64% of the area is formally protected.
• Invasive alien plants (IAPs) are a primary threat to these water source areas, causing reduced river flow, the destruction of wetlands, and increased siltation of dams. It is estimated that IAPs result in the loss of approximately 1.44 billion litres of water annually, which is equivalent to the water needs of 3.38 million households of four people.
• The Boland Groot Winterhoek SWSA Collective, formed in 2022, acts as a 'platform of platforms' to coordinate conservation and rehabilitation. It links national-scale interventions to local implementers, such as Water User Associations and Green SMEs, to improve ecosystem health and water access.
• The Greater Cape Town Water Fund has demonstrated the effectiveness of nature-based responses to climate change. As of October 2024, its efforts have cleared 32,347 hectares in priority sub-catchments, replenishing 17.6 billion litres of water into streams per year.
• The Collective is implementing specific rehabilitation projects, such as the 24-Rivers project near Porterville and Saron. This project, co-funded by the Western Cape Department of Agriculture, WWF Switzerland, and the 24 Rivers Irrigation Board, focuses on riparian rehabilitation to restore ecological functioning to a system previously altered for farming in the Swartland area.
• Efforts are underway to mainstream ecological infrastructure into municipal service delivery. An initiative involving SANBI, the Breede-Olifants Catchment Management Agency, and the Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning is targeting the Witzenberg, Breede Valley, and Theewaterskloof municipalities to encourage investment in natural infrastructure to reduce flooding and fires.

APA

WWF South Africa (n.d.). WORKING TOGETHER FOR WATER SECURITY IN THE CAPE. https://wwfafrica.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/boland-groot-winterhoek-swsa-collective-factsheet_web_mar25.pdf

Chicago

WWF South Africa. WORKING TOGETHER FOR WATER SECURITY IN THE CAPE. n.d. https://wwfafrica.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/boland-groot-winterhoek-swsa-collective-factsheet_web_mar25.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=WWF South Africa |title=WORKING TOGETHER FOR WATER SECURITY IN THE CAPE |url=https://wwfafrica.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/boland-groot-winterhoek-swsa-collective-factsheet_web_mar25.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{wwfsouthafricandworking, author = {{WWF South Africa}}, title = {{WORKING TOGETHER FOR WATER SECURITY IN THE CAPE}}, institution = {WWF South Africa}, url = {https://wwfafrica.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/boland-groot-winterhoek-swsa-collective-factsheet_web_mar25.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }