VIDEO: West wetland protection concerns
The wetland was located right next to the Gomorrah informal settlement in Booysens.
Residents raised concerns over what they believed was illegal dumping which recently reared its head at a wetland in the west of Pretoria.
The wetland is located right next to the Gomorrah informal settlement in Booysens.
The local ward councillor of the area, however, said it was not illegal dumping, but building rubble that will be used for a project.
“I was recently alerted about the illegal dumping at the wetland by residents,” said ward councillor, Frik van Wyk.
“I was quite concerned about it, so I immediately reported it to the relevant officials.”
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Van Wyk was, however, assured that the building rubble being dropped off at the wetland was not illegal dumping, but the start of phase one of the Gomorrah relocation project.
The project included the relocation of residents of Gomorrah to a place where they would have access to water and electricity on the same field.
“The rubble that the trucks are throwing there will be used to even the surface where the shacks will be moved to,” Van Wyk said.
“The surface is very uneven, which is why the surface would be evened.”
But despite this news, residents of the area voiced their concerns over the pollution of the wetland.
They said it was important that the wetland be protected.
“The wetland is supposed to be protected and not be polluted by building rubble – wetlands are a critical part of our natural environment,” said resident Stella Broodryk, whose property borders the wetland.
“The dumping of building rubble there surely has all sorts of negative impact on nature.”
Another resident, Rassie Erasmus, said they started noticing the building rubble on the wetland about three months ago.
“We started noticing large trucks who started throwing the building rubble there regularly,” he said.
“We have managed to track the trucks to the industrial area in Booysens.”
Broodryk said the building rubble was being dumped next to a stream that ran through the wetland.
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“In the past the stream ran all the way to us, but over the years that stopped,” she said.
“Mosquitoes has also started becoming a problem.”
Residents recalled the wetland when it was at its prime.
“When we moved here 50 years ago, we did not have this problem at all,” Broodryk said.
“I remember we had all sorts of different animals that lived in the wetland – from foxes to rabbits.
“During heavy rains the wetland would be white as it was filled with birds – it was a beautiful sight.”
She said all the animals had since disappeared from the wetland.
“I saw a couple of guinea fowls the other day, but that was that,” she said.
Erasmus suggested that the wetland be secured by erecting a fence around it.
“We do not have a problem with the informal settlement,” he said.
“However, we want the wetland to be protected and I think this would be the best way to do it.”
Broodryk said residents wished to see the wetland returned to its former glory.
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