Support Other Stewards

to Reduce Pollution

What's happening with water?

"The effects of water pollution are catastrophic: Plant and animal life suffers, and so do vulnerable people and communities. Hold your government to account and make sure that all Africans have access to clean, healthy water here."

Problems

Plastic and other litter
Mining and fracking
Agriculture
Untreated sewage
Deforestation

Source: "What is causing water pollution, and what is the effect of water pollution

on at-risk communities and ecosystems in Africa?" Matthew McClure, GreenPeace September 2021

Learn more about water and these issues here and here.

Stewardship for Clean, Healthy Waterways

There are many efforts to support.

Litter Booms Project

What is a litter boom?

Originally a large plastic pipe,

the Durban Green Corridors project uses eco-bricks.

These are made with two-litre plastic bottles packed

tightly with clean, dry, non-biodegradable waste.

The eco-bricks are wrapped in shade cloth,

making a barrier that traps floating waste.

“(O)n average litter booms collect between one and two tons of plastic a month.”

Litter booms also trap water hyacinth - a plant that over-runs ecosystems in South Africa.

Learn to recognise and report water hyacinth.

Without litter booms Durban beaches look like this ...

This, mostly plastic, pollution will end up back in the ocean or rivers.

Support this work against plastic pollution by contributing “materials to help build and install more litter booms around the uMngeni River and its tributaries.”

Shade cloth
Empty two-litre bottles, or
EcoBricks - two-litre bottles packed tightly with clean and dry, non-biodegradable waste.

To support the Litterboom project with contributions or donations

Contact Siphiwe Rakgabale on 031 322 6026

Impande Yesizwe Development Programme

This energetic group promotes sustainable, resilient living. They do this in a number of ways including through wholistic rehabilitation of the environment – water, land and people – where its members live - KwaMashu part of eThekwini municipality.

This area forms part of the uMngeni Catchment Area.

Their environmental rehabilitation activities include:

Water

Monitoring water quality and flows
Removal of pollution from litter and waste
Reporting pollution including from sewage

Before and after clean up of Ntshunu River in Kwamashu, eThekwini municipality

Impande Yesizwe partners with others, for example as part of Amanzi Ethu Nobuntu eco rangers. Below they are working "on miniSASS, species observation and ensure the water was waste free!” see rom Impande Yesizwe’s facebook page (forwarded from Adopt a River).

Learn about Amanzi Ethu Nobuntu on their youtube channel and follow their activities on their facebook page.

Land and ecosystems

IAS (ecologically inappropriate plant species) removal
Planting appropriate indigenous plants
Other greening initiatives linked to food security

Of the whole by reducing litter and pollution of land and water

Promoting recycling
Community clean-ups
Educational activities

They work in partnership with others in the community - authorities, community radio stations, civil society structures and NPOs, individuals - to overcome environmental challenges including

water and food security
building climate resilience
promoting literacy

Follow their activities on their Facebook page here.

For their environmental rehabilitation work,

Impande Yesizwe Development Project appreciates support and donations of:

Protective clothing and safety supplies for the outside environment: Medium size, thick, waterproof gloves; Basic First Aid kit - disposable plastic gloves, antihistamine ointment (for insect bites), antibacterial spray or liquid, cotton wool, bandages, plasters, tape.
Writing material for recording daily findings – A5 lined journals, pencil and black pen. We will create a form specifically for the KwaMashu area.
Education material about recycling, the importance of keeping our environment clean, climate change posters.
Logistical and communications support: Data and airtime for 10 people at R150 per month both for communication. Transport to run awareness Campaigns to communities living along rivers.
Gazebo branded with project name. Any website exposure will be appreciated.