The Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo rolled out a large-scale clean-up operation at the Johannesburg Botanical Gardens on March 20, focusing on restoring and maintaining one of the city’s most loved green spaces.

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The blitz clean-up targeted key areas across the gardens, with teams tackling weeding, litter removal from the stream, alien invasive plant control, and the cleaning of pathways. Public ablution facilities were also repainted, while Park Rangers supported by-law enforcement efforts throughout the day.

Alongside the ground operations, specialised work took place on the top dam, where an amphibious harvester was deployed. The machine successfully removed a significant amount of water lilies from the surface, marking strong progress in an ongoing effort to restore the dam’s ecological balance.

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Senior manager for conservation and catchment at City Parks and Zoo, Tshepang Makganye, explained the importance of this work. Uprooting invasive plants, he said, improves the natural filtration of the water, helping to protect biodiversity and maintain healthier, cleaner conservation areas.

@caxtonjoburgnorth WATCH: Senior Manager for Conservation and Catchment at City Parks and Zoo, Tshepang Makganye speaks on what exactly a Blitz Clean up is and what it means for spaces like the Johannesburg Botanical Gardens on March 20, 2026. Video: Neo Phashe #JCPZ #Northcliff ♬ original sound – Caxton Joburg North

The clean-up forms part of continued efforts to preserve Johannesburg’s public spaces, ensuring they remain accessible, sustainable and enjoyable for all.

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