Originally published on 14 March 2024
Leaking sewage systems pollute South Africa's freshwater supply. A group of dedicated citizen scientists in KwaZulu-Natal showed how community involvement could help tackle this environmental crisis.
What was the problem?
Reports from the Department of Water and Sanitation showed that many sewage treatment plants were not working, causing untreated wastewater to enter rivers and dams. This sewage caused severe pollution and health problems, like the cholera outbreak in Hammanskraal in 2023, and harmed water bodies like the Hartebeestpoort Dam.
How did they solve it?
In 2009, young, unemployed residents from Mpophomeni in KwaZulu-Natal became "Enviro-Champs" to fight the sewage crisis. The Duzi uMngeni Conservation Trust and the uMgungundlovu District Municipality supported this initiative, helping them monitor and report environmental hazards. They used tools like clarity tubes and a special mobile app to record sewage spills and other problems, giving real-time data to local authorities.
By 2016, the Enviro-Champs stopped sewage leaks from 104 maintenance holes. Their work grew, and soon 1,000 Enviro-Champs were active across KwaZulu-Natal, with help from different organisations and funding from the Presidential Employment Stimulus and Social Employment Fund.
Acknowledgements:
Original article written by: Duzi uMngeni Conservation Trust
Photograph supplied by: Duzi uMngeni Conservation Trust and GroundTruth
Get your community involved
Is there a community-driven group or caring business in your area? A dedicated group of committed people can effectively solve local problems.
Think about starting or joining community groups like a street WhatsApp group, residents' association, or community policing forum (CPF) to get help and to stay informed and involved in local issues.
How to set up a community group
How to start a residents' association
How to set up a community policing forum
How to set up a neighbourhood watch
How to organise community action
How to use media to create pressure for change
Know your rights – how local government works
It’s important to understand how your local government works so that you can work with them to support what they are doing while your community continues to keep them accountable and deliver services on time. Remember you have a constitutional right to many of the services provided by local government, as well as to accountability and transparency, wherever you live and regardless of how much you earn. It is also where money collected from taxes and rates goes.
eThekwini
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