The Department of Water and Sanitation in the Western Cape is spearheading the Clean Rivers Campaign this July in an effort to promote healthy rivers.

The campaign, which forms part of Mandela Month 2018, will involve river clean-ups throughout the Western Cape.

According to the Department the aim of the campaign is to engage communities and courage collaboration in keeping the country’s rivers clean.  “It’s also aimed at promoting and creating ongoing awareness and education on protecting our water resources,” the department says.

“The clean-up will be closely associated with volunteerism that is promoted during July as part of the Mandela Month activities,” it adds.  People can join the initiative as individuals or with their organisations.

“The need for water security, particularly in the face of the 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 so that all people can benefit from the added-value products of healthy rivers and can have access to clean water for basic human needs,” the department concludes.