Pollution still an issue in the Jukskei river, especially with rain season coming

As rainy season looms, concern over Sandton residents residing near or along the Jukskei river built into an enquiry towards finding out what solutions emerged through winter for managing pollution in the river system.

Known to be active in efforts to clean the Jukskei, Buccleuch resident Lauren Nightingale was contacted on August 15 towards finding out what state the river was in, ahead of the rainy season.

Read more: Morningside resident puts river spruit first

“So much litter, and so much rubbish [in there]; people are clueless about our most precious commodity – water,” Nightingale lamented. “Pollution gets discharged along the way from source to end, unfortunately. Many years ago, there were resident fish and crabs; now, there’s only chickens that get released during traditional healing ceremonies.”

Nightingale elaborated that the state of the Jukskei is of major concern, as the river joins the confluence of the Crocodile and Hennops rivers in the Rhenosterspruit area.

“At the moment, it appears as if non-profit organisations are the only ones who do anything about our rivers,” Nightingale said. “There are supposed to be 3 000 plus green warriors working for the Gauteng government. The last time we heard them do anything was when they went to Mpumalanga to do something about the Cholera outbreak. They should be working on the river crises.”

The founder of Hennops River Revival, Taryn Johnston, was contacted for more information on the Jukskei’s former glory, before humans began mistaking it for a dumping site of convenience. Johnston reminisced on how the Jukskei river formed from a natural spring in Ellis Park, to flow through various regions, including Alexandra, Buccleuch 1, and Morningside.

“The river was relatively clean and supported a variety of aquatic life,” Johnston reflected on September 8, painting a beautiful scene. “In former times common fish species including yellowfish and tilapia would swim, be caught, and eaten. The riverbanks were lined with indigenous plants like reeds and various grasses. Fascinatingly, crabs were also a part of this past ecosystem, highlighting the river’s once-thriving biodiversity.”

Also read: The Jukskei River sorely needs cleaning up

Johnston discourages anyone from ever drinking the water of the Jukskei river. She went on to describe a scene she once witnessed while collecting test water samples from the Jukskei.

“We witnessed a man undressing, he proceeded to throw numerous buckets full of Jukskei River water over himself; it appeared to be part of a ritual; we also noticed many candles, red, blue, and white,” said Johnston. “So, no, please do not drink the river water, even if you have boiled it. You’d be at risk of contracting an illness or disease if you come into contact with the water.”

In conclusion, Johnston celebrated some of the groups actively working towards rehabilitating the state of the Jukskei river:

• Alexandra Water Warriors: A community group which has been actively involved in cleaning the river, setting up pollution traps to catch plastic and other debris. Alex Water Warriors have recently partnered with Suncasa, funded by Global Affairs Canada through the Partnering for Climate Programme, with a focus on nature based solutions

• WaterCAN: An initiative by OUTA. WaterCAN is a growing network of citizen science activists who are committed water guardians and willing stewards advocating for clean, safe, and sustainable water.

• Deep Water Movement: Citizen science monitoring of water quality in numerous rivers. These are cross-sector educational activities, from schools to board rooms, with the most recent: ‘Crisis Intervention Convention’ – a pivotal event dedicated to addressing the pressing water and waste issues facing South Africa.

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