THE eThekwini Conservancies Forum (ECF) together with the eThekwini Municipality and DUCT (Duzi-uMngeni Conservation Trust) have partnered to embark on a project called ‘Take Back our Rivers’ (TBOR).
The aim of the project is to rehabilitate the rivers in each of the 17 catchments in the eThekwini municipal area starting with a 5.8km stretch of the Aller River through residential and industrial areas in New Germany and through formal and informal settlements in Clermont.
eThekwini Conservancies Forum’s Paolo Candotti, said, “We are all aware our environment is under threat with population growth coupled with habitat change placing huge stress on natural resources. We have had many incidents of illegal dumping, littering and pollution in and along our rivers and alien invasive plants are gradually reducing the biodiversity and drying up our valuable water table.”
This scenario was confirmed last year during a two-day river walk from the source of the Aller River in New Germany to the uMngeni River east of KwaDabeka.
The project is a radical departure away from the traditional ‘let’s go and clean the river’ campaign to a more sustainable
approach whereby the communities living on rivers take direct responsibility for river health.
“Communities can and need to accept co-responsibility for maintaining and conserving their rivers,” said Nick Swan, project manager for the Aller River Pilot Project.
Residents are invited to attend a community meeting on Thursday, 8 September at 5.30pm at the New Germany Lutheran Church, for all residents who live near or border the Aller River (or smaller tributaries).
The meeting which will take an hour will introduce key stakeholders in the Aller River Pilot Project (ARPP), including the eThekwini Department of Water and Sanitation, eThekwini Conservancies Forum, and the uThekwane Conservancy.
Presentations from key stakeholders will provide information on the state of the Aller River, the eThekwini ‘Take back Our
Rivers’ initiative, and planned rehabilitation through the Aller River Pilot Project.
The meeting will round up with a ‘panel discussion’ which will encourage questions and input from residents. Light refreshments will be served.
