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The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) calls on the public to join the Clear Rivers campaign to clean up and protect water resources in honour of former President Nelson Mandela throughout the Mandela Month.

The Clear River campaign calls on everyone to dedicate their 67 minutes of goodwill activities towards cleaning up streams, wetlands, dams, canals and any freshwater source. Everyone is encouraged to participate in cleaning up the water ecosystems, on any day during Mandela Month.

The objective of the Clear Rivers campaign is to undertake a collaborative effort and actively engage communities as well as promoting and creating on-going awareness and education on protecting our water resources. Fostering volunteerism among communities is actively encouraged as part of a proactive approach to protecting our rivers, streams, wetlands and other water ecosystems.

South Africa’s rainfall is unpredictable and common periods of drought limit the water resources even further. Rivers that used to flow throughout the year are now dry, while others flow only during rainy seasons. Years from now, the demand for water might exceed the amount of available water in our country. This means that we must take care of our water resources, use and share our water more effectively.

The health of the rivers in our country is threatened by pollution, excessive use of the water and the riverbanks. If we pollute the river in one place, we affect the condition of the river for a long distance downstream. A river performs functions such as the ability to clean itself best when it is healthy.

Therefore, active and responsible citizenry is encouraged across spectrum where people from all walks of life become participants in promoting healthy rivers. The relationship between communities and healthy rivers can never be overstated, as it is community members who must take care of our rivers to ensure that they are not filtered with filthy litter.

The need for water security, particularly in the face of 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.

It is for this reason that the Department of Water and Sanitation connects South Africans to their sources of water and the natural infrastructure that are crucial for a water-secure future. This is done annually, when South Africans are called to clean up rivers and water ecosystems, as part of dedicating their 67 minutes of goodwill, during Mandela Month.

South Africa is a water scarce country and rated the 30th driest in the world; with a rapidly increasing population. This is based on its average rainfall of 500mm compared to the world average of 860mm. This then calls on the public to adopt, clean up and protect water resources as every drop counts in this water scarce country.

Issued by the Department of Water & Sanitation