In photos: Princess Vlei revived after decades of neglect
R10-million rehabilitation sees people flocking to this natural haven
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Visitors enjoy Princess Vlei in Cape Town after its recent revamp. The wetland and conservation park now has a 4.23km circular trail, walkways, bridges and is home to a number of animals. Photos: Ashraf Hendricks
Princess Vlei on the Cape Flats was one of very few nature spaces that people of colour could visit during apartheid. The area was fondly known as “Gala land” or “Claremont beach” by the locals who could not access many of the peninsula’s segregated beaches.
But over time, the Vlei became neglected and vandalised until a group formed the Princess Vlei Forum and spent years fighting to restore the area to its former glory.
“I always think of it as a bit of a Cinderella park”, says Bridget Pitt, the forum’s chairperson.
Bridget Pitt, chairperson of the Princess Vlei Forum, says the Vlei provides a place of tranquility for the surrounding communities that don’t have other natural spaces nearby.
Fighting for the Vlei
The forum was formed in 2012 to oppose the development of a shopping mall on the eastern shore of the Vlei.
“Part of the protest was to imagine something different here,” she says.
According to Pitt, the forum had incredible support from the community. At the time the area was known as a crime hotspot and was rundown, but many families still fondly remembered and valued it.
The foundations for the restoration started with Kelvin Cochrane a decade before with his project – Dressing the Princess.
In 2018, the Princess Vlei restoration project was created to rehabilitate the wetland. This included reintroducing 17 threatened species, like Erica verticillata and Serruria foeniculacea. Both grew widely in the area in the past.
The vlei is also home to a variety of birds and it is an important breeding ground for the endangered Western leopard toad. Critically endangered vegetation, such as the Flats Dune Strandveld and Flats Sand Fynbos, can also be found here.
A learner has left a message – “I wish you grow big” – next to one of the trees they planted.
Following years of planning and negotiations, in June 2026, the 109-hectare wetland and conservation area was revamped.
It now includes a 4.23km circular trail, boardwalks, bridges and open recreational space where visitors often run, hike, cycle and walk their dogs. Signage has been included as part of the trail to acknowledge and educate people about the historical and ecological importance of the vlei.
It also has four full-time security guards and two toilet cleaners.
Julie Daniels, from Grassy Park, started running here once the vlei was revamped. Daniels says that she has now started a social media running group for women on the vlei. Although Daniels belongs to a gym, she says that being in nature offers a different experience. “It’s very good for your mental health”.
Pitt says Princess Vlei provides a place of tranquility to the surrounding communities that don’t have other natural spaces nearby.
She says water from the vlei feeds into Rondevlei, Zandvlei and Zeekoevlei, making it critical to the health of the ecosystem.
The Princess Vlei is currently classified as a heritage site, but Pitt says they are working to get the park classified as a nature reserve. This would allow more resources and funds to be distributed to it.
Beyond its tranquility and natural beauty, schools have started using the area for educational excursions.
Learners from the Lotus High School’s eco club make regular visits to Princess Vlei.
Shafiek Isaacs has been a teacher at Lotus High for 35 years and runs the school’s eco club. He says he visits the vlei a few times each quarter with his learners to educate them about nature and conservation.
The eco club’s activities include water testing, tree planting, beach cleanups and community feeding schemes.
Isaacs says for many of his learners who come from disadvantaged areas, coming out to nature provides a much-needed break.
He recalls braaing at the vlei as a child and now as an adult he returns here with his own family.
Sitaarah Ismail, a grade 11 learner at Lotus High, says that learning how to work with plants helps relieve her stress. She says one of the best things about the vlei is coming across animals, including frogs and snakes. “I really love the animals that you can find here”, she says.
A floating sculpture of the Khoe princess of Princess Vlei,created by the Princess Vlei Forum, Peter Clarke Art Centre and Lotus High learners.
A cyclist enjoys the new trail with a four-legged friend.
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© 2026 GroundUp. This article is published under the GroundUp Republication Licence Version 1.0. Email [email protected] to request permission to republish.