An initiative to rehabilitate the neglected natural wetland area in the centre of Parys, gain more momentum the past week bringing the community and the municipality together in a major clean-up that took place on Monday and Tuesday at the Noorder Street entrance of the wetland. Household and garden waste, and piles of building rubble dumped in the beautiful wetland area, were removed and attention given to invasive plants, when about 100 people rolled up their sleeves and worked as a team to transform the underutilised area into a sustainable wetland ecosystem that will be accessible and safe for all communities.

This incredible collaboration between the community, the Ngwathe Local Municipality, Fezile Dabi District Municipality, Parys Wetland Committee, MooiParys and other stakeholders brought people together with only one goal in mind – to make a difference. And what a difference they made!
The wetland offers enormous tourism potential with cross-country and cycling routes already developed and efforts made to involve schools in educating learners on the value of conservation of our wetland areas.
The Parys wetland area stretches from Tumahole down to the bottom of the Mimosa Gardens, and starts at a natural fountain behind the Viva Filling Station in Parys’ industrial area.

It connects schools, the industrial area of Parys and residential areas. This area has been polluted over the years by people dumping household waste and building rubble here, invasive plant species, and sewage pollution.

Dr. Mothamaha, municipal manager of the Ngwathe Municipality earlier gave the municipality’s full support for the project, making all resources available for the project to rehabilitate the area as was seen in full force this week under the guidance of the Director Community Service, Mojabeng Makibinyane, Mtimkulu Moagi (Coordinator of Social Services – Parks, Cemetries and Refuse Removal) and Mofokeng Malapi (Ngwathe Manager for Social Services).
The assistance from the municpality included machinery, EPWP workers and personnel from various municipal departments as well as interns from Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environmental Affairs, and the Fezile Dabi District Municipality.

Wetlands in South Africa cover 2.4% of the country’s surface, but 48% of wetland ecosystem types are critically endangered. As a result, the country has lost approximately 50% of its original wetland area.

Rehabilitating the Parys Wetland area will result in a safe, clean and beautiful pedestrian route for workers, scholars and people who like to walk for exercise / spend time in nature and will offer an area where all schools can participate in cross-country and mountain biking events. It will improve biodiversity of the environment, and offer the opportunity for additional activities around environmental conservation.

The project will not disturb or change the wetland environment as it currently exists, but preserve it.

The size and location of the wetland makes rehabilitation possible in phases. Initially, the upper part of the wetland (End Street next to the new school building in Vierdelaan, and down to the Parys Primary School’s sports grounds) will be rehabilitated.

After that, the focus will be on the polluted area along Noorder Street, past the Sasol filling station, and finally also where the Mimosa Spruit runs past Epilepsy SA’s Free State/Northwest branch and flows into the Vaal River below the Mimosa Gardens.

The idea for the project started with a few sports and nature enthusiasts who realised that the wetland had potential, and the ball was set to roll to see how this area, with its rich bird life, could come into its own.

A project launch with Ngwathe working with the Fezile Dabi District Municipality and their partners is also currently in the planning phase to roll-out a pilot project in the Vaal Parys area to encourage residents to sort their waste prior to putting out refuse bags for removal.