The Emfuleni Local Municipality (Evaton, Sebokeng, Vaal Oewer, Vanderbijlpark, Vereeniging) should also accept responsibility for the hyacinths and water lettuce taking over the Vaal River and hampering tourist activities.
The FF Plus has been warning the Municipality to stop dumping sewage into the river as it serves as a food source for the alien vegetation.
The overgrowth of these plants in the Vaal River can lead to a range of ecological problems, such as suffocating other aquatic plants and negatively impacting the viability of aquatic animals. It could also block water pumps on the river bank and damage farmers’ equipment.
Both Rand Water and Emfuleni should accept responsibility for the problem and take urgent steps to clean up the river.
The FF Plus thanked riverside residents for intervening this past weekend by scooping out and destroying some of the plants.
It is, however, impossible for residents to remove kilometres of alien vegetation all on their own.
It is imperative that Rand Water and Emfuleni intervene to tackle and solve the problem.
The FF Plus will continue to put pressure on Emfuleni to stop polluting this key water resource and clean up the river.
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