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While the Highveld has a dry, dusty reputation, Johannesburg is actually cradled by a network of "vleis". Lush, shimmering wetlands that are the city’s true unsung heroes. As the world celebrates World Wetlands Day under the global theme "Wetlands and Traditional Knowledge: Celebrating Cultural Heritage”, we look at the role wetlands play in our dynamic city and where you can experience them.
Why Joburg needs its vleis
Johannesburg is the only city in the world that doesn’t sit on a major river or ocean, which makes our wetlands ecologically critical. Think of them as the city’s kidneys: they filter out the heavy metals and pollutants from our mining past before the water reaches the Vaal River. They also act as giant sponges. During our fierce Highveld thunderstorms, these reeds slow down the rush of water, preventing the flash flooding that often plagues our streets.
The Cultural Connection
We often treat our vleis as mere backdrops for a Saturday morning run, but they are actually the oldest community centres in the Highveld. For many in Johannesburg, wetlands are sacred spaces. They are dwelling places for water spirits and ancestors, used for centuries by traditional healers (isangoma) and spiritual groups for baptism, cleansing rituals, and the harvesting of medicinal plants, such as Bitter Aloe.
Talking to Time Out Johannesburg, local traditional healer Gogo Ntaba, says the city's water is not only a natural resource but a living archive of our people’s history and spirit.
“For generations, communities have gathered at rivers and springs to pray, cleanse, be baptised and commune with their ancestors. It’s no different in the wetlands. Many of our healing herbs are gathered from wetlands and the water that surrounds them, while birds, insects, and plants quietly sustain balance by filtering water, preventing floods and signalling ecological distress. When these ecosystems are damaged, we lose biodiversity, medicine, and ancient knowledge,” she explains.
“This is why water health is inseparable from community health. Protecting wetlands is not only an environmental responsibility but also a spiritual and communal one, because life flourishes wherever this water flows,” she adds.
How to experience the heritage of water in the city
Gogo Ntaba’s words remind us that these spaces aren't just scenery; they are sanctuaries. If you're ready to step into this 'living archive' and trade the city's concrete hum for the whisper of the reeds, these watery escapes offer a different kind of 'gold' in the City of Gold.
Marievale Bird Sanctuary
Just an hour’s drive towards Nigel, you’ll find one of the most important wetlands in the southern hemisphere. Part of the Blesbokspruit Ramsar site, Marievale is a 1,000-hectare mosaic of reedbeds and mudflats. In summer, the air is thick with the calls of over 280 bird species, from the electric-blue Malachite Kingfisher to the towering Goliath Heron. Park at the Otter Hide or Hadeda Hide. The silence is broken only by the rustle of reeds and the occasional splash of a Cape Clawless Otter. Look out for the African Marsh-Harrier, a bird often associated with environmental health in local folklore.
Modderfontein Reserve
Once an industrial explosives factory, Modderfontein has been transformed into a pristine private reserve. It features a chain of dams (Modderfontein Spruit) that serve as a haven for fish eagles and kingfishers. Walk the Dam 3 trail. It’s flat, accessible, and leads to a series of bird hides that feel world-away from the nearby Sandton skyline.
Klipriviersberg Nature Reserve
Known as "Joburg's Jewel of the South," this reserve offers a rugged, hilly terrain that drains into the Bloubos Spruit. It’s not just about the water; it’s about the Iron Age ruins and the plains game like Zebra and Black Wildebeest that wander through the valleys. The Bloubos Trail follows the stream, providing a gentle soundtrack of running water, a rarity in the middle of Gauteng.
We’ve spent over a century looking for gold in the ground. Maybe it’s time we started looking for value in the water. Our wetlands are the keepers of our secrets and the guardians of our future. Respect the vlei; it’s been here longer than we have.
Also read: Johannesburg Zoo joins global Reverse the Red Movement to protect endangered species.
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