BUSINESSMEN and Palmiet River residents have joined hands to clean up rubbish lying around Pinetown and New Germany streets which ends up polluting the river.
Lee D’Eathe, who champions the Palmiet River Watch said the face of Pinetown and New Germany will change forever with the opening of the newly reconstructed roads, and businesses along the transport routes will benefit hugely with an increase of potential customers.
On Thursday, 21 January, businessmen and residents are invited to a workshop that will be held at the Palmiet Nature Reserve from 8.30am to midday to voice their concerns for the School of Development Studies along with eThekwini Municipality to consider in their case study.
The group has already started removing reeds that have been growing in Crompton Street.
D’Eathe said they hope that the place will now be cleaned and cleared of all the rubble as the scrapyard that used to operate in that area has moved.
“I am pleased to see that a few land owners had started removing the alien invasive overgrowth from their properties, particularly within a ‘riparian area’ (within 32 metres of the edge of a river, lake, dam, wetland or estuary,
“Details of the serious, frequent, ongoing, unresolved pollution recorded by the Palmiet River Watch will be presented at the Palmiet Nature Reserve Hall, 1 Edgecliff Rd, Westville,” he said.
Lee D’Eathe wants to see the infrastructure upgrades being considered in this case study, to improve water quality and supply.
“We will address the concerns of those affected by crime, illegal dumping, continual river water pollution, river banks collapsing, alien invasive overgrowth and waste being dumped into the river.”
Helen Cannon of Cannon Cool said they are long standing Pinetown business owners and Palmiet River residents and are very excited about the new Go Durban route.
“Cannon Cool has recently relocated to the corner of Cherry Road and Shepstone Road, right on the banks of the Palmiet River, and we are thrilled to be part of the initiative set up by Lee.
“A clean, safe environment sends out a clear message that “we care”. Together with other river dwellers and businesses in the area we want to uphold standards and work together, just as neighbourhood watch groups work together.”
Cannon said on a recent drive through Pinetown they were very concerned about the volume of rubbish lying on the street in Old Main Road.
“This same rubbish ends up in our storm water drains and ultimately in the rivers and oceans. We would like to urge all businesses and residents in the area to make a concerted effort to stand together and look after their surrounds.
“It is in our best interests to make everyone visiting Pinetown and using the new Go Durban route feel that the area is clean and safe,” she said.
Anyone interested in attending this singular opportunity to add their voice calling for corrective action to be taken by individuals, organisations and the authorities to reverse the detrimental environmental impacts, please advise Vicky Sim (vsim@vodamail.co.za).
