Local NGO hosts clean-up to commemorate World Water Day
Every March 22nd celebrates the important role water plays in society and the NGO feels special attention needs to be brought back dire water crisis affecting the metro currently.
The Soulbent Project and stakeholders hosted 100 residents and volunteers in a Saulsville river clean-up to commemorate World Water Day.
On March 22, the world raises awareness of the important role water plays in society, and the NGO feels special attention needs to be brought back to the dire water crisis in the metro currently.
“As a country, we have a water crisis, our rivers are dirty, and the fish won’t continue to survive. We need more NGOs like Soulbent Project to regularly clean rivers from Monday to Friday. Sustainability is important. At this rate, by 2050, we won’t have fish in our rivers as all will be dead from all the litter,” said co-founder of Soulbent Mashudu Makhado
The participants in the clean-up collected over 750 bags of litter from Moganwe river in Pretoria West. Some of the more common items collected were books, cans, dead cats and dogs, shoes and even two dead snakes.
“It’s important to honour water day because people must always remember that we all have the right to water and we all need fresh water thus we must bring awareness to the state of our water and fight for sustainability,” Makhado continued.
The NGO also called on the metro to speed up its mayoral election so it can resume implementing sustainability plans that will help the environment and residents.
“The metro needs to appoint its mayor, we need service delivery and the mayor and council need to support us by giving us stipends. Our volunteers have been working hard with no stipends, and we are a dedicated organisation with sustainability strategies to offer,” Makhado said.
The stakeholders included the metro, Department of Environmental Affairs, Sanbi, water and sanitation, Coca-Cola, Aquelle khula and the Gauteng department of agriculture and rural development.
The NGO’s next themed clean-up is on Workers’ Day followed up by a Women’s Day clean-up.
For more information, or to report illegal dumping, visit www.soulbent.org.za or “Soulbent project recycling and gardening services” on Facebook or email Soulbent1@gmail.com.
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