To date more than R10 million has been spent on cleaning and removing about 5 000 m³ volume of material from the Black River.PHOTO: city of cape town
The City’s water-sanitation directorate spent more than R10million to date on cleaning up and removing approximately 5000 m3 of material from Black River during the current dredging operation.
Dredging is being done on a section along the Black River, where it crosses the N2, at the M52 Raapenberg Road bridge.
A section of Black River upstream from Jan Smuts Drive is already dredged.
Since September last year, the Black River has been freed from mattresses, couches, sofas, trolleys and tyres. Trees, a television set, construction waste, and car parts are also included in the list.
According to the City this amounts to approximately 650 truckloads dry-out material that were transported to the appropriate disposal site.
This work is part of ongoing river maintenance programs and programs to improve inland water quality.
Dredging is the process of removing accumulated sediments/silt from the ground, including invasive plants and solid waste. Excavators are used to do this.
This area has become a concentration of both pollution and alien invasive plants over time. The sediment layer that was polluted is being removed, leaving behind a cleaner layer of sand.
Excavators working inside the river excavate sediment and move the dredged materials towards the riverbanks. The material will be lifted using a long boom excavator to store it 10 m from banks. This will allow for dewatering for up to three weeks before it can be taken away to the appropriate disposal site.
Georgia McTaggart, founder and CEO of Help Up, a compassionate disruption organization that aims at removing waste from rivers, streets, and streets, said the initiative was founded in 2018 after McTaggart saw the desperate state of the Black River.
Soon, she mobilized a few volunteers. Their goal is to clean up rivers and remove trash before it reaches the ocean or falls into the river.
McTaggart said that the group had been cleaning the Black River polluted. However, they found that most of the waste ending in the river came from the Jakkalsvlei Canal.
McTaggart claims that they then redirected McTaggart’s clean-ups to the root of the problem, and now have clean up partnerships in Langa or Khayelitsha.
We collect 4,2 tons trash per month from areas in Cape Town without adequate service delivery.
She believes that changing human behavior can reduce a lot of pollution. She suggests that people should be more compassionate with the environment.
Most of the stuff we pick up are household waste and builders rubble. It is important to remember that plastics have a minimum of 500 years life span. Don’t buy plastic that you won’t reuse. If people change their buying habits, that is the only way to make the system work.
McTaggart said she was encouraged to see renewed efforts to clean up the Black River from the City.
Mayco member Zahid Badroodien says that dredging at Black River is on schedule. He said that improving water quality in inland waterways, such as rivers, is a priority for the city.
I am happy to report that the water and sanitation team are on track and that 70% of the 2km stretch of Black River have been cleaned. This has also led to an improvement in water quality. This operation also makes the river wider to reduce the risk of flooding. The riverbanks were also reconstructed to prevent erosion and have been sloped for a better appearance.
Badroodien says that dredging will continue up to April, if everything goes according to plan.
Everyone has a stake in the health of our waterways.
We are striving to become a water-sensitive city. This maintenance program is one way we can help improve the water quality in our rivers. Residents are reminded of their role. He reminded residents not to use waterways for unwanted furniture, car parts, or other waste.
Let’s all work together to improve the water quality in our inland waters, concludes Badroodien.
