The case of the Khayelitsha Wetlands Park, South Africa

This chapter presents the case of the Khayelitsha Wetlands Park, an urban park located in one of South Africa’s historical apartheid townships situated on the periphery of the City of Cape Town. The Park is an important component of Cape Town’s urban landscape and a critical piece of ecological infrastructure in building city resilience. Yet the Khayelitsha Wetlands Park battles with invasive alien vegetation, poor water quality, poor service delivery, crime, conflicting uses needs and demands as well as complex management dynamics. The development and implementation of a management strategy that sets out objectives, roles and responsibilities of users and managing organizations is a crucial step in grappling with these identified issues. Fostering environmental awareness and commitment of users and managers is a fundamental component of this strategy. This study highlights the importance of retaining green infrastructure and open spaces as landscape features in cities for enhancing resilience and human wellbeing.