Provincial Minister of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, Tasneem Essop, Premier Ebrahim Rasool and Mayor Nomaindia Mfeketo will launch the River and Canal Clean-up on Monday, April 11 at the Khayelitsha Wetlands.
The launch is one of the Easter deliverables of the Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning.
The Premier, Minister and Mayor will don waders to assist in the clean.
Part of the project will be to remove alien vegetation, reshaping and dredging some of the wetland and river channels, improving the riffles (minor rapids) that aerate the water and other interventions to re-introduce a healthy ecosystem.
Owing to the very poor state of most rivers in the Province, especially in urban areas, three river and canal systems within the Western Cape metropole are being targeted for cleanup operations. Having been highlighted in the draft State of the Environment Report and the draft Provincial Spatial Development Framework, these rivers are the Blomvlei in Athlone, the Big Lotus in Gugulethu and the Khayelitsha Wetlands that form part of the Kuils River, as well as the Khayalethu River in Knysna.
The three urban projects are being partnered with the City of Cape Town and the Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, actively involving the communities and other partners concerned. This project aims not only to deliver tangible construction and remediation to the sites, but also to provide jobs, develop workers' skills through the Expanded Public Works Programme, look at tourism opportunities, and schools involved in using the areas as outdoor classrooms.
The launch takes place on Monday, April 11, from 12h00 to 14h00 at Makhaza Park in Khayelitsha. Should you require more information, please contact Roger Diamond on 021 483 2901, or rdiamond@pgwc.gov.za
