The City of Cape Town has developed the Soet River Pollution Abatement Strategy and Action Plan (PASAP) in a bid to supplement its existing cleaning interventions, Cape {town} Etc reports.
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Despite cleaning efforts by the City’s Water and Sanitation and Urban Debris Management Directorates, this portion of the river remains clogged with solid debris as a result of illegal dumping.
Illegal dumping into the stretch of the Soet River that flows through Lwandle and Nomzamo in Strand continues to be a headache for the City, which spends at least R1.5 million per year to clean up this waterway.
Since the enormous growth in informality that happened during the Covid-19 outbreak in 2020, the Soet River has been under tremendous pressure. In addition to solid trash, the river now receives night soil (human waste) and grey water.
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In response to the issues, the City developed the Soet River Pollution Abatement Strategy and Action Plan (PASAP), which proposes practical solutions for execution in the short, medium, and long term.
During the fiscal year 2023/2024, the City’s Catchment Stormwater and River Management (CSRM) Branch performed a number of maintenance activities, including cleaning the section next to ACJ Phakade School in Nomzamo, Wag ‘n Bietjie Canal in Lwandle, Broadlands Road Canal in Lwandle, Selven Street (Nomzamo Section), along Onverwacht Road from N2 (Lwandle), Lwandle Canal and Pond, and dredging of the Soet River along Onverwacht Road in Lwandle and Nomzamo.
For the fiscal year 2024/2025, the CSRM branch proposes to spend more than R3 million on maintenance and cleaning (including dredging) many portions of the Soet River and Soet River Canal.
The Soet River basin spans 17.4 km² and runs from the northeast to the southwest, serving as the central ‘spine’ of the drainage network. The catchment topography is mostly level, with the exception of the upper contributing sub-catchments north of Sir Lowry’s Pass road, which are moderately to steeply sloping.
The catchment contains a range of land uses. The top sub-catchments to the north of Sir Lowry’s Pass Road are primarily agricultural, whilst the land beneath Sir Lowry’s Pass Road is predominantly medium to high density residential, with pockets of industrial and commercial development.
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‘Chronic waste pollution due to rapid informality is choking the Soet River, which is not good for residents and thelo environment, so the City has put together an action plan which will be implemented over time, to help tackle this challenge,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Water and Sanitation Zahid Badroodien. ‘This aims to augment City inventions that are already taking place.’
‘Currently the City spends between R1,5 million to R2,6 million each year on continuous cleaning efforts, but while it visually improves for a short while, this is not sustainable because the illegal dumping continues; which also doesn’t improve the water quality in the river.’
‘As we work towards putting this multi-pronged plan into action, we need residents to please join hands with us and put their waste in the right place, using the solid waste services provided.’
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Picture: City of Cape Town