Adopt a River How Development Impacts on the Liesbeek the River Health Programme Liesbeek Maintaenaince Project Report
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
A Publication of the South African Water Sector Civil Society | March 2012 | Adopt a River How Development impacts on the Liesbeek The River Health Programme Liesbeek Maintaenaince Project Report 1 CSO March 2012 The role that civil society play at a community level is crucial and contributes towards the Department of Water Affairs responsibility to protect and conserve water resources and involve local communities. It is also the responsibility of communities through the civil society groups to look after water resources. This edition of the newsletter is a continuation of the commitment the Department has made towards the showcasing and marketing Civil Society work and contribution to the sector. This second CSO newsletter has profiled the successful stories and shared experiences done by Civil Society jointly with the Department in protecting water resources, and the THEME is “RIVER HEALTH PROGRAM”. For more information the newsletter, please can contact: Miss Unathi Mila Civil Society Organisation: National Coordinator Department of Water affairs Tel: 012 336 7177 Email: [email protected] 2 CSO March 2012 Adopt A RiverWestern Cape Background • Promoting a volunteerism ethic An initiative to create awareness in South Africa to benefit all levels amongst all South Africans of the need of society and as encouraged to care for our scarce water resources by the United Nations. and to facilitate their participation in the protection and management of these A phased approach has been followed resources was raised in Parliament to develop the programme. Phase 1 in 2006. Parliament wanted to know “be part of the was the initiation and development from officials of DWAF whether South prevention and of a strategic framework document. Africa’s rivers are healthy and fit for Phase 2 was the development of use. Some members of Parliament problem solving” an Implementation Plan and Phase volunteered to adopt a river and act 3 is the pilot implementation of the as patron for that river. This was done resources. Specific objectives include: Programme in selected Rivers. to foster public participation in the protection and management of our • Empowering all water users to Implementation rivers and also as a sign of their own protect their water resources Phase 3 has been launched by the commitment. Therefore, Adopt a River and participate in water resource Deputy Minister during Water week Programme was born. management; in Stellenbosch with the adoption • Facilitating the involvement of the Eerste River by Stellenbosch The Adopt a River Programme aims to of patrons and sponsors in Municipality as well as the Cape play a vital role in encouraging citizens stakeholder empowerment and Winelands District Municipality. A to learn about water resources and water resource management stakeholder forum is in place – chaired become involved in the protection and strategies; by Department of Water Affairs (DWA) management of these resources in (Ms W Kloppers) and operational their particular area. • Developing and making task teams are coordinated by the Once awareness of the water resource available the necessary tools for operational manager – Adv Hanlie (and its benefits and problems) is training and empowering local Linde from Stellenbosch Municipality. created, stakeholders (including role-players; volunteers) can gain knowledge and Various Adopt a River initiatives already insight into the causes of the problems • Ensuring optimum effectiveness, exist in the Western Cape, notably in affecting the quality of the water through involvement and the Gouritz Water Management Area resources in their particular area. They linkages with other existing (WMA) (Southern Cape) with the Eden will then be able to act as watchdogs, programmes and initiatives District Municipality (David Papier and but also be part of the prevention and aimed at water resource Emmy Douglas from Eden DM) since problem solving group for the specific protection and management. 2005. The project is a collaborative water resources in their area. It will also These include the River Health venture between Eden District enable them to realistically evaluate Monitoring Programme; as well Municipality, Department of Water service delivery and hold the relevant as other monitoring programmes Affairs (DWA), Cape Nature and the authority responsible where there is conducted by various Department of Education and involves a lack of implementation of proper institutions including local and a number of schools and Rivers in the services as well as environmental district municipalities, academic area. and water resource management and scientific institutions and legislation. other provincial and national There are also other Adopt-a-River Government Departments. initiatives currently in the initiation Aim and objectives phase: The linkages also include The main aim of the Adopt a those being established o Grabouw, Klipdrift River with River programme is to create an between communities and Waterwise Women, Theewaterskloof understanding among all water the local authority responsible Municipality, department of Agriculture users and in particular the previously for services provision and the & other stakeholders. Initial meeting marginalized communities of the inclusion of water resource held with stakeholders and Adopt- concepts of integrated water resource management in Water Service a-River pledge signed. Project to management to encourage them development Plans (WSDPs) commence in 2011. to become actively involved in the and Integrated development protection and management of these Plans (IDPs). o Preliminary discussions being held with schools in Paarl and Franschhoek 3 areas. CSO March 2012 Adopt A River Program in the Eastern Cape by Department of Water Affairs” Eastern Cape Name of coordinator: Unathi Makati-Tshayingca The Adopt a River Program is an who dump next to their areas taken during the “Adopt-A-River” initiative of the Department of Water and or near the river Challenges program to share with. Affairs and has, as its broad focus, of the “Adopt-A-River” Program the development of an increased in the Eastern Cape awareness of South Africa’s water resources and increasing community • Some of the beneficiaries were participation in taking care of these often sick especially during resources. It is hoped that increased winter season, as a result two knowledge on water resources, will of them passed on during first develop into an active participation phase. by stakeholders in contributing to environmental management, and • It then became difficult to replace ultimately result in better management due to pre training requirements and protection of our environment and, and as result we continued with specifically, of scarce and precious 95 No beneficiaries. water resources. • Some of the areas that were identified were not highly The “Adopt-A-River” program started polluted; some beneficiaries had 01 September 2010 to 31 August 2011 to be moved to newly identified First Aid training first Phase in the Eastern Cape. The sites. Buffalo River and its closest tributaries were identified because of being highly • Unofficial or illegal dumping polluted. The stakeholders involved in sites that are known to the this “Adopt-A-River” program were; municipality concerned that are Buffalo city Municipality councilors, closer to the Buffalo River. This the Traditional representatives, the dumping site makes the work of Amahlathi Municipality councilors, the beneficiaries difficult, and officials and Implementing Agency progress very limited, this waste representatives. The main aim of the is washed down to the river “Adopt-A-River” program was to when heavy rains come. focus of the alien removal, clean-up, rehabilitation, community awareness – • The recent heavy rains had clean up of solid waste and community a negative impact on the awareness. project, the project progress Water Safety Training The project makes use of women got affected, and beneficiaries beneficiaries, selected through the could not go to work for few involvement of Ward councilors, from more days after the floods as it areas closest to the river stretching was dangerously wet next to the from Amahlathi Local Municipality, river. near Luphondweni village through Buffalo City Municipality around King • The solid waste coming with the William’s Town and Zwelitsha to East floods London. The highlights of the “Adopt-A- River” Program in the Eastern Project Objectives Cape • To employ 100 women • Invitation of one of the beneficiaries to clean up the beneficiaries to Parliament Buffalo river from source to sea Beneficiaries at Work • To allow communities to take • Project launch by the Deputy care of the cleanliness of their Minister on the 3rd June 2011 rivers and the surroundings The “Adopt-A-River” Program in the • To encourage community Eastern Cape is approaching the members to guard against those second phase. Herewith the photos 4 CSO March 2012 Training of 100 women who were as they are in most cases the bread Beneficiaries were requested to wait recruited by members of the Alexandra winners. Volunteers were nor paid by until they had been trained and tools Environmental Management Forum end of September due reports from the being purchased. was conducted from 30/11/2011 Department alleging that they were not Purchasing of to 01/12/2011 at East Bank Hall, aware that work had commenced and tools and storage Alexandra. that even though they had supplied volunteers with protective clothing, Tools were purchased by the