Cape Town - Water conservationists who took part in the Peninsula Paddle made their way through the city’s waterways and canals in kayaks to try to highlight litter, pollution and uncontrolled plant growth.
Yesterday, participants paddled from Zandvlei Estuary to Milnerton Lagoon in the event, now in its 11th year.
The initiative aims to call on communities to become "active custodians for these green spaces".
Paddler Siyanda Sopangisa and his brother Akhona established the Khayelitsha Canoe Club in 2013 in the hope of transforming a polluted wetland into a meeting place for young people.
Social Media and Events officer Vicky Johnson said the purpose was to raise awareness of the state of our rivers so one day our waterways could be usable for the public.
Peninsula Paddle founder and researcher at Future Water UCT, Kevin Winter, said paddlers had a fantastic day but some "atrocious parts of the waterways" could be found along the routes.
“At the heart of the litter problem are two major failures – a systemic failure in which large parts of the city have inadequate waste services, and human behaviour where little thought is given to the consequences of litter and other waste. It will take more than a paddle to change the history of the city and the current state of the waterways, but it is a start. Imagine a city where citizens could safely traverse its waterways in clean water, and where the surrounding rivers and canalised banks offer safe, pleasant public spaces.”
Along the routes, water samples were taken to test for bacteria, nutrients and heavy metals. The results will be compared with water samples from previous years. Abbotts laboratory will conduct the water quality testing. A short video will be made.
Water conservationists made their way through the city’s waterways and canals in kayaks to try to highlight litter, pollution.
— Cape Argus (@TheCapeArgus) October 5, 2020
Video: Armand Hough/African News Agency(ANA) pic.twitter.com/NCGqxrOxDD
Partners and supporters included Cape Town Environmental Education Trust, City of Cape Town, Zandvlei Trust, Friends of the Liesbeek, UCT’s Future Water Institute, Water Institute of Southern Africa, Abbott Laboratories and Save a fishie.
Cape Argus