Having witnessed the wanton dumping of waste near and into the uMgeni River, Durban-based business Reefer Cold Storage together with NPO Adopt a River spearheaded a clean up operation to mark World Clean-up and International Coastal Clean-Up Day recently.
The 232-kilometre Umgeni River, which rises in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands and extends to Durban, is a critical water source for the region. It is used for various recreational activities, including the annual Dusi Canoe Marathon and many residents rely on the river for subsistence fishing and drinking water.
However, the current state of the water poses a threat to life rather than supporting it. Sewage pollution, made worse, as a result of the April floods, has pushed E.coli levels to a hazardous levels, prompting the closure of several beaches.
The pollution of the uMngeni River is further exacerbated by the constant illegal dumping and excessive waste that finds its way into the water source, disrupting the local ecosystem and posing a threat to the health of wildlife and humans. Janet Simpkins of Adopt a River said this interconnected network of water is vital for the survival of various ecosystems, water source to many communities and in some catchments supplying water to dams for potable water use.
She said: “The uMngeni River is no exception. Sadly, many of these waterways are contaminated with not only solid waste, but sewage too. The uMngeni suffers both. It is our responsibility to continue to highlight these factors and do what we can in terms of cleans ups, education campaigns and tracking sewage in the hopes that funding will become available to fix broken infrastructure and stop these spills.”
The campaign’s initial short-term goal was the clean-up of the Riverside area, between Connaught Bridge and the footbridge along Willowfield Road, of waste and alien invasives which was extended by a week due to the volume of waste found on site. The plan is to take this further by establishing a permanent team to conserve and maintain the area as an ecologically friendly environment, while creating awareness about the dangers of environmental pollution.
Stamatis ‘Kapsi’ Kapsimalis, CEO and owner of Reefer Cold Storage, said: “The clean-up has been an eye opening experience. But it’s also been incredibly rewarding witnessing the positive impact we can make when we all come together for a common goal. I’d like to extend our thanks to all the stakeholders who’ve committed to improving the health of the Umgeni River, not just for now but in the long run. This is a moment of change for environmental conservation, because it really is now or never.”
