Meeting tackles water issues
KYALAMI - The Jukskei River Catchment Management Forum met at Cluny Farm in Kyalami to discuss pressing issues concerning the environment and to elect a new committee.
Attendees consisted of environmentally conscious residents from around the Fourways area, wetlands and wildlife experts, and a representative from the City of Joburg.
Wetlands and riparian expert, Paul Fairall opened the meeting by giving a presentation on the causes of the deterioration of the Jukskei River. He mentioned that currently there was no legal definition for what a wetland was in South African environmental law, but this was further compounded by the lack of law enforcement for issues such as dumping in wetlands.
Fairall said wetlands, especially in the Fourways and Midrand areas, were not receiving enough attention. Referring to the wetland outside Waterford Estate in Douglasdale, Fairall said water had become a destructive force as could be seen during the floods in Fourways in February this year. He said erosion and unsustainable urban drainage were also major issues particularly in places such as Ivory Park.
“Unless we turn this around we will be facing havoc,” Fairall said.
The meeting then turned to electing a committee to represent the forum. Fairall was named chairperson, Kristin Kalleson, who is chairperson of the Greater Kyalami Conservancy was named deputy chairperson, Judith Taylor took up the role of secretary, and Richard Weston and Vivienne Busse joined the committee as technical consultants.
The main point discussed at the meeting was the need to work together with government agencies and big business, in order to truly rehabilitate the wetlands in the area and stop pollution going into the Jukskei River. The meeting concluded with the resolution that the forum would begin meeting with other environmental groups in Johannesburg, to join up and form a united environmental front.
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