Statement by the Executive Mayor Alderman Patricia de Lille at
the launch of River Cleaning Project in memory of the late
Professor Kader Asmal
19 October 2011
I am pleased to announce a river cleaning programme in honour of the
late Prof. Kader Asmal, who first identified the need for such activities to
ensure a clean water supply.
The Kader Asmal Integrated Catchment Management Project will see 400
jobs created. The City of Cape Town is committed to building an inclusive
and caring society.
We will do all that we can to alleviate the immediate demands of poverty
while continuing with our long-term strategy to ensure that we create the
economic environment in which investment can grow and jobs can be
created.
To this end, last month, I announced the creation of the Mayor’s Special
Job Creation Project.
We aim to spend R138 million in the first phase, which 32 000 people will
benefit from annually by the job opportunities created.
The Kader Asmal Project benefits from the Extended Public Works
Programme (EPWP) model, it will be labour intensive and thus maximise
job opportunities.
To ensure its sustainability, the project will be implemented in different
phases.
These phases will see the identification of problems, schedules of
cleaning, and schedules of monitoring.
These include: removing invasive plants; river clean-ups; litter disposal;
repairing leaking sewers; identifying pollution hotspots; and cleaning.
It will also include critical aspects of a river warden system and
awareness and education to prevent dumping and littering by
Capetonians.
The catchment areas identified are linked to the following rivers: Diep
River; Salt River; Liesbeek River; Black River; Eleis Kraal River; Keyser
River; Prince Kasteel River; Westlake River; Zandvlei River; Zeekoevlei
River; Rondevlei River; Eerste River; Kuils River; and the Khayelitsha
Wetlands.
This programme will go a long way to helping us protect a valuable
resource and ensure that we adhere to the principle of sustainable
development, which includes safeguarding our natural resources.
Most critically, it will provide relief for those most in need in our society.
In all, it brings together respect for our natural heritage with respect for
our social heritage as well.