City embarks on Hennops cleanup campaign
Skepticism rife amid city's campaign to clean Hennops.
After years of campaigns, protests and lawsuits, the department of water and sanitation and officials from the City of Tshwane have started cleaning the Hennops river.
Though the cleanup is being applauded, the work being done is negligible.
Dubbed the “Hennops River cleanup Joint Operation campaign [sic]”, the work to clean the polluted river is being undertaken by the department of water and sanitation and the City of Tshwane in conjunction with Adopt-A-River and the Tshwane region 4 Tshepo 10000 members, from 03 to 06 May.
Officials spent their time removing solid waste from the river, cutting grass and and tree scrubs that are interrupting the flow of the river.
The cleanup was also meant as an awareness campaign around river pollution and the importance of water safety.
Multiple tests undertaken by AfriForum have revealed that the water of the Hennops river is akin to that of raw sewage.
One sampling survey, conducted by Dr Louis de Wet of Waterlab (Pty) Ltd, at the request ofAfriForum, delivered shocking results.
In the conclusion of his report, De Wet says: “It is clear that a major source of faecal coliform bacteria pollution (raw sewage) originates from the Tembisa area.
“This is unfortunately a case where severely contaminated water from the municipal areas of Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni enter the municipal area of Tshwane, causing extreme problems in the Centurion lake as a result.”
The results also revealed extremely high counts for both faecal coliform bacteria and E. coli of >100 000/100 ml for the upper sampling sites, being Tembisa (R562), M18 downstream of Olifantsfontein and Irene (Nellmapius Drive).
Sibusiso Mabase, project Manager for the Hennops river cleanup campaign said he admits that the levels of pollution at the Hennops river are very high and called for change in the perceptions and attitudes of people residing upstream.
“The river was very bed when we started on Tuesday and is not yet at the state we want to see it, but with constant cleaning programmes and public awareness campaigns we are confident that it will get to the desired state”, said Mabase.
Tarien Cooks, community safety coordinator at AfriForum applauded the city for undertaking to clean the river, but likened their efforts to putting a plating on an infected wound.
“This is simply treating the symptom, not the cause,” she said.
“The fact that people living next to the river and littering it are not the main cause of the trouble. Litter does not create E.coli. Also, the litter and rubbish will soon return, as the pollution is still ongoing.”
Cooks said when AfriForum recently visited Tembisa to conduct sampling surveys, they found sewage systems overflowing and running into the Hennops.
“If the city truly wants to change this, they should work with the Ekhuruleni municipality to stop the major pollution and constant illegal dumping,” she said.
Ward councillor Peter Sutton was more critical of the campaign.
“Hen I heard of the campaign I asked for a detailed report of what will be done, so that the project can be efficiently managed,” he said.
“I never got it and a few days later I was told that the small crew cleaned a section stretching from SuperSport Park to Clubview. I highly doubt if any effective cleaning can be done so quickly.”
Lucky Makgarengi, spokesperson for the department of water and sanitation has called on residents to get involved with the cleanup of the river.
“The department of water and sanitation is appealing to everyone to protect and respect our water resources, and report all pollution incidences such as dumping waste into the river to the nearest South African Police Services, local municipalities or contact the department’s toll free number: 0800 200 200.”
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