Blood River gets makeover

POLOKWANE – BLOOD River, a watercourse that meanders through the rural villages around Polokwane, is hardly seen bursting at the seams.

Even during rainy seasons, when the water levels are just above average, the water is clearly not suitable for human consumption due to water pollution.

The overwhelming pollution of the river recently prompted rural villagers from Blood River, Makgofe and Letsokoane to clean all watercourses within their communities.

To curb this continuation of water contamination, residents were encouraged to get involved in the Adopt-A-River (AaR) campaign in a bid to create awareness of the importance of caring for the water resources.

The AaR project was officially launched by the deputy minister of water affairs, Rejoice Mabudafhasi, in March 2010 during National Water Week.

The event was part of Resilience in the Limpopo River Basin (Resillim), a flagship programme that supports equitable access to water that balances urban and rural needs with ecosystem requirements under the a changing climate.

Resillim enjoyed significant patronage from the United States Agency for International Development (USAid) to reduce climate vulnerability by promoting adaptation strategies for integrated trans-boundary water resource management.

Scientific research suggests that water pollution is the second most prevalent environmental concern.

Objectives of the AaR campaign:

• Provision of education and awareness on conserving the environment.

• To promote the spirit of volunteerism in the protection of water resources.

• To promote partnerships with other stakeholders in creating and maintaining sustainable water resources.

• The advancement of entrepreneurship in water-related projects.

Water affairs representative, Ivy Maboela, noted that rivers are often polluted as result of residents who dump waste in the water.

“The health of our rivers has deteriorated and ecosystems are badly affected. That is why the department implemented a nationwide programme to monitor river health,” she said at the AaR project launch in Blood River.

Resillim programme outreach and communications specialist, Lara Rall, said their key mandate was to reduce the vulnerability of people and ecosystems through improved trans-boundary governance and management of natural resources.

“The programme is grounded in a grassroots approach to understanding the causes of vulnerability, including climate and a promoting new ways of thinking and acting to promote integrated water and biodiversity management.

“As mentioned, we are funded by an agency from America that supports communities to build their resilience through government initiatives such as AaR,” she said.