As the country celebrated National Water Month, TCTA made a significant contribution to environmental stewardship by organising a series of coordinated river clean-ups. The initiative, which spanned threedistinct locations, highlighted the power of collaboration between community members, local municipalities and environmental organisations.
On 20 March, TCTA partnered with the uMsunduzi Local Municipality in Pietermaritzburg to revitalise the Slangspruit River. Simultaneously, in Centurion, a joint effort with Hennops Revival focused on cleaning the Hennops River. The final clean-up event took place on 28 March at Kgubetswana in Clarens, rounding off a month dedicated to promoting cleaner rivers.
In Pietermaritzburg, the event served a dual purpose. The morning session was devoted to cleaning the Slangspruit River, while the afternoon celebrations marked International Women’s Day.
A uMsunduzi Local Municipality Ward Councillor, Vusi Ngwenya, commended the river clean-up as an essential intervention. “The community needs to understand the impact of littering – illegal dumpsites negatively affect the environment,” he said. “We are grateful to the community for their hands-on support and to other stakeholders who
contributed to this project.”
TCTA official and project manager Florence Ndhundhuma highlighted the organisation’s strategic rationale for participating in programmes such as the river clean-ups. “This initiative shows that TCTA is committed not only to infrastructure development but also to enhancing the lives of people in our project areas,” she said.
Madoda Hlophe from the uMgeni Conservation Trust zeroed in on the state of the country’s rivers, highlighting the need for urgent and decisive action, saying, “This river (Slangspruit), and many others in the country are very dirty; the condition is bad, and it is our fault because we are the one littering. This is a good initiative as it has brought the community together. We hope that in the future, we will not need organisations like TCTA to keep our rivers clean. While the event was widely successful, organisers acknowledged that sustaining these efforts will require ongoing community involvement and vigilance. Looking ahead, TCTA and its partners are exploring ways to integrate regular clean-up activities and educational programmes to keep the momentum alive.
Ms. Ndhundhuma also extended her gratitude to the colleagues who contributed their time and effort to the river during various clean-up activities.
