Background

Annually, the Department of Water and Sanitation embarks on its noble and flagship Clear Rivers campaign, when South Africans are called to clean up rivers and water ecosystems, as part of dedicating their 67 minutes of goodwill, during Mandela Month.

This campaign was initiated in 2016 to encourage active and responsible citizenry across the spectrum where people from all walks of life become participants in promoting healthy rivers. The need for water security, particularly in the face of global climate change and a multitude of anthropogenic impacts affecting our rivers, calls for a national and unified approach to protect our rivers, wetlands and broader catchments.

The Department is aware that there are still people with no access to piped water and they use water from various natural water resources such as streams and rivers. The Clear Rivers campaign is one attempt by the Department of Water and Sanitation to ensure clean rivers and allow for poverty stricken communities near rivers to have clean and usable water. In this way, we are ensuring dignity of the poor amongst us as a nation.

For the second consecutive year, Clear Rivers campaign has been disturbed by the deadly coronavirus pandemic that has forced everyone across the globe to adopt a new normal and do things differently. The devastating effects of the virus famously known as COVID-19 has forced stringent restrictions that include the prohibition of gathering in large number to reduce the spread of the virus.

The resurgence of third wave just on the eve of the campaign has forced the Department to once again rethink how to implement the campaign without risking it being a spreader of the virus.

Over the years, the Department has been mobilising all sectors of society to join hands in large numbers and go out to clean our rivers and streams; but this year it will be different as large gatherings in one place will be avoided. However, the Department still calls out communities, corporate sector and civil society organisations to go out in their respective communities to clean our rivers and streams, whilst adhering to the COVID-19 regulations.

Join the action, take the initiative, clean up and protect water resources and be a volunteer in your community and make a difference.