Community encouraged to clean Kaalfontein stream

Officials from the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS), in collaboration with Fresh NGO (Fountains and Rivers Environmental Sanctuary – Hennops), joined hands with community members of Kaalfontein in Tembisa Extension 43 for a Clear River Campaign.

The campaign is an initiative of the department with the aim of cleaning up rivers and water ecosystems.

The Kaalfontein stream, which runs through the community, was swamped with garbage dumped by the local community, but it took the determination of some of the community members to get their hands dirty in clearing the river. It is DWS’ mission to encourage communities to clean their local rivers and to take the responsibility of promoting healthy rivers, and ensure that they are not polluted or filtered with filthy water.

Nombuso Gcali (56) is a resident of Kaalfontein and has lamented how her neighbourhood is besieged by the illegal dumping and littering at the river which runs through their community.

“This pollution is causing distress in the community and it also affects the river. We are subjected to the stench coming from this illegal dumping. The river itself is also not healthy and does cause some uncomfortable smell. However, we are happy to see officials from DWS being hard at work to clean the river. This motivates us as the community to take it upon ourselves to keep the river clean and free from pollution,” said Gcali.

Willem Snyman from Fresh NGO said it is his organisation’s wish to take public awareness to the surrounding schools in Tembisa. He said learners would be educated on the importance of keeping our rivers and wetlands clean and to also safeguard them from pollution.

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