About Us

The Organisation

The aim of the Friends of the Liesbeek is to create an awareness of the importance of the Liesbeek as a green corridor in an urban setting and to rehabilitate, enhance, and conserve it and its environs.

The Friends of the Liesbeek began in 1991 with a steering committee comprising Edward Tilanus, Dave Wheeler, Benita Bezuidenhout, and Peter Price. Its first activities were river walks and clean-ups, but today, the organisation focuses more broadly on public awareness and education of the river environments.

The success of this volunteer group has been dependent on its mutually beneficial partnership with the City of Cape Town. The FoL has adopted an unflinching, ‘take-it-or-leave-it’ approach to volunteerism that has allowed it to operate effectively on the same level as the government departments with which it deals. FoL’s primary effort, the Liesbeek Maintenance Project – a large-scale river rehabilitation scheme – is reliant on the knowledge and support of the municipality.

The success of FoL makes a strong case for the potential of volunteer organisations and demonstrates that, in partnership with government, much can be accomplished. The key is to stand apart from, but work with government.

The committee

Nicholas Fordyce

Nicholas Fordyce

Chairperson

Kyran Wright

Kyran Wright

Deputy Chairman

Ron Sabelo Memani

Ron Sabelo Memani

Liesbeek Maintenance Project Manager

Jessleena Suri

Jessleena Suri

Executive committee

Emeritus Professor Kevin Winter

Emeritus Professor Kevin Winter

Water Quality in Wetlands and Waterways Advisory Committee

Phil McLean

Phil McLean

Water Quality in Wetlands and Waterways Advisory Committee

Grant Irlam

Grant Irlam

Treasurer

Sarah Schuuman

Sarah Schuuman

Secretary

Andrew Bennett

Andrew Bennett

Education Officer

Kari Cousins

Kari Cousins

Executive committee

Dr Joan Parker

Dr Joan Parker

Upper Liesbeek River Garden

Trevor Hughes

Trevor Hughes

Executive Committee

Emily Nicklin

Emily Nicklin

Executive Committee

Roland Postma

Roland Postma

Executive Committee

Rafael Bloch

Rafael Bloch

Executive Committee