RESTORING THE POLLUTED JUKSKEI RIVER
The polluted Jukskei River has received the attention of a non-profit organisation, Khulisa Social Solutions, which has undertaken to clean it up and make it safe and sustainable for over 700 000 Alexandra residents and surrounding communities.
For over ten years the Jukskei, Johannesburg’s largest river, has endured extensive pollution from chemical toilets, kitchen waste, human excreta and detergents. Many homes have been built on the river banks, further aggravating these circumstances. Consequently, the river poses health hazards to the community and in addition, the informal settlement located closer to the river frequently experiences floods during heavy rains.
Lesley Ann van Selm, MD of Khulisa Social Solutions, says that if not addressed effectively, these issues may worsen considerably. Whilst a few suggestions have been made to resolve outstanding issues around the river, little action has been taken. She says that the support of the community, municipality and local businesses will bring about solutions for change.
Khulisa, together with the Alexandra Water Sanitation Environment Community Forum, recently hosted a workshop on the matter, and outcomes were presented to stakeholders at an imbizo in November 2022. Feedback was also given on environmental restorative justice mediations.
Gillian Niven, a lawyer specialising in environmental law at Allen and Overy, took residents and stakeholders through the various recourses that might need to be considered to address the situation facing both the river and the community. She said that environmental concerns were being tackled actively in environmental law so that the community members could express their views and explore the remedies at their disposal.
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