The Vaal Action Group will be joining SAVE tomorrow (Saturday 11 May) at 11:00 at The Dog & Fig Brewery ( GPS – 26° 54.671’S – 27° 24.745’E), to focus people’s attention on the dire distress that our river eco-system is in, and although we do not realize it, our own as well.
Every resident, business and visitor is impacted by the raw sewerage that is polluting the Vaal River. Our economy, health, lifestyles and budgets are affected, and an extra burden is placed on the municipal water works to provide potable water.
The current challenge to cope with the situation will soon become a crisis when the river flow is reduced and the concentration of pollutants is drastically increased during winter season.
Therefore action must be taken now to force change before a crisis becomes a disaster.
Although the two organizations have chosen to follow different paths in addressing the pollution of the Vaal River, the two organisations are united in bringing it to people’s attention and garnering support to take action.
S.A.V.E. has chosen the legal path while V.A.G. has gone for a more hands-on approach.
V.A.G will be using this event to ask for sponsorship of their cleaning activities and urgently request corporate business, residents and tourists to become involved in saving our beautiful river. If you would like to contribute their banking details are as follows: FNB Account in the name of the Vaal Action Group Association, Account number: 62791415831.
At the meeting more info will be given about V.A.G’s role and the challenges faced in the fight against pollution. V.A.G. volunteers have done a number of river clean-ups and you can join to make a visible difference to our environment.
SAVE on their turn will explain their strategy to communicate with polluters and, in the event that communication fails, to take the event to the high court to enforce environmental and water legislation. Chairman of Save the Vaal Environment, Malcolm Plant, and Judge Lotter Wepener, will be discussing the court procedure that SAVE have embarked on, why they are following this strategy and the benefit they expect from a successful court case. SAVE’s mandate extends from the Vaal Dam through to Parys and they have been fighting pollution of the Vaal River since the late 1990’s.
Dog & Fig have received many awards for their craft beers, and water quality is naturally a prime concern for them. Come and hear about owners Sean and Morne Barradas’ exciting community project that they and Deon Terblanche, local landscape artist are planning for the site.
Come hear and share information and concerns about water and our living environment. For enquiries phone 072657 6056.
