UPDATE: Life returns to cleaned-up Hennops river
Soiled pants, an abandoned doll and dirty diapers were among some the items recovered from the river.
The project aimed at saving the Hennops river wrapped up on the banks of the Royal Elephant hotel in Centurion at the weekend.
The project was undertaken by Tshwane and Johannesburg metros.
The Hennops river spirit event was a relaxing day on the banks at the Royal Elephant hotel to bless, focus energies and reconnect with the river, as a social, cultural and fun day,” organiser and director of Fresh.ngo Willem Snyman said.
ALSO READ: Province-wide clean-up to save Hennops River
Snyman said the day’s activities kicked off with a ceremony where micro-organisms were poured into the thick black sludge that had been deposited into the slow-flowing area.
“Praise for the miraculous resurrection of the river coming back from a dead, pitch-black state two weeks ago to now, where visibility is at almost a metre deep. The smell is gone completely,” he said.
Snyman said it was hoped the correct symbiotic combination of organisms would break up the sludge.
“The second phase of restoration will be continued after this initial 10-day blitz to build on our advantage and banish the sludge, raw sewerage and solid waste,” he said.
Participants in the clean-up were also treated to a lunch, where cultural dishes were served and prayer ceremonies consisting of reading from the Koran were performed.
ALSO READ: VIDEO: Metro’s power over troubled Hennops river ‘limited’
Soiled pants, an abandoned doll and dirty diapers were among some the items recovered from the river.
Although plans to restore the river are set to continue, Snyman told Rekord that the temporary shelters built on the riverbanks added to the problems in the area.
“In some areas, we found building rubble dumped in the wetlands,” he said.
Snyman said the re-establishing of wetlands and their vegetation were the only way to prevent erosion and the silting up of the river.
“We will keep up pressure on municipalities and government for proper waste disposal for riverside communities and educate people to prevent further dumping in the river.
“Restoration of the banks will be started by planting trees and when the sludge is gone, the correct species of fish and aquatics can be returned to migrate all along the river,” he said.
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