Khulisa partnership to drive Jukskei River clean-up in Alex

The heavy pollution that characterises the Jukskei River in Alexandra could soon be a thing of the past if Khulisa Social Solutions and its global hybrid partners, cloud and A1, have their way.

The state of the river has caught the eye of the non-profit organisation, Khulisa and its partners, that have teamed up to clean the infamously polluted river to make it safe and sustainable for the more than 700 000 residents of Alexandra and other surrounding communities, including those downstream.

For more than a decade now, the Jukskei River, which remains Johannesburg’s largest river, has endured unprecedented pollution from chemical toilets that are abundant in the township as the City of Johannesburg sought to get rid of the bucket toilet system.

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The river pollutants also come from kitchen waste, human excreta, and detergents as many homes have since been built on the riverbanks which has further aggravated these circumstances.

The pollution also poses health hazards to the community, in addition, the informal settlement located on the riverbanks frequently experiences flooding during heavy rains, and many children and elderly residents have constantly been rescued.

Khulisa founder and managing director Lesley-Ann van Selm, believes, if not addressed effectively, these problems of pollution may degenerate into unrecoverable losses.

“While numerous suggestions have been made to resolve outstanding issues around the Jukskei River, only a few actions have been taken to try and solve the problems.

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“This is why we believe the support of the community, municipality, and local businesses will bring about solutions that will help bring material change and ensure that the dreams of the Alexandra community can finally be realised,” she told a recent workshop in the township that sought to find solutions.

Khulisa, together with the Alexandra Water Sanitation and Environmental Forum recently hosted a Jukskei River enterprise design workshop think tank.

The workshop was attended by government and municipal representatives, members of the community, and a host of stakeholders with vested interests in the Jukskei River and who are keen to see tangible solutions.

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Outcomes of the workshops will be presented to stakeholders at the inaugural Jukskei River Imbizo which is set to take place later this month.

“The future of Jukskei River is in our hands, and equally, the health and safety of the Alexandra community depends heavily on this natural resource, so we have the responsibility to influence their future for the better,” concluded van Selm.

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