The Roodekrans Neighbourhood Watch believes water needs to be protected as much as people and property
- The Roodekrans Neighbourhood Watch has for ten years not only protected people and property, but has played an active role in keeping a perennial stream free from pollution.
- The group is working with the local botanical garden to identify sewage leaks into the river and to report these to municipalities.
- Significant progress has been made, with fish numbers increasing in the stream.
- But there is an urgent need for maintenance to shift from reacting to leaks to proactively repairing and maintaining the ageing sewage network.
For nearly ten years, the Roodekrans Neighbourhood Watch has been patrolling Muldersdrift se Loop, a perennial stream that runs through the area, to keep it safe from sewage spills and pollution.
Andreas Oberlechner, the group's chairperson, believes water resources deserve as much security as people and property.
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Muldersdrift se Loop originates near Krugersdorp, flows north through the Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden, where it forms the iconic Witpoortjie Waterfall, and ultimately feeds into the upper Crocodile River network.
The stream supports ecosystems with iconic species such as the black eagle and the Albertina Sisulu Orchid, a critically endangered plant endemic to the Sugarbush Ridges above the botanical garden.
But the stream runs parallel to sewer lines from the City of Johannesburg and the Mogale City Local Municipality, and is highly vulnerable to contamination from sewage spills. A Mogale City research report describes the stream as a victim of infrastructure failures and a public health risk.
Andrew Hankey, the principal horticulturist at the Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden for the South African National Biodiversity Institute, told GroundUp they have seen a dramatic transformation in the health of the river system since the Oberlechner's patrols began.
About ten years ago, the botanical garden faced a persistent sewage crisis. "The water quality was very sporadic" due to leaks from upstream residential areas, said Hankey.
The garden would often report sewage leaks, but because the source of the leak was not on their land, "it wouldn't get fixed; it would take a long time, sometimes months".
The turning point came when the botanical garden teamed up with the Roodekrans Neighbourhood Watch, said Hankey.
Muldersdrift se Loop serves as the boundary line between Mogale City and Johannesburg, leading to a dispute about jurisdiction and the two municipalities often passing the buck to each other. But the neighbourhood watch has GPS-mapped every manhole to eliminate confusion about which municipality is responsible for a particular leak.
Oberlechner and other members of the group regularly patrol and monitor the river and the adjacent sewage network, reporting any problems to Johannesburg Water and Mogale City.
"Unfortunately, sewage leaks are endemic in the country. We have become numb to it," said Oberlechner. "But, we cannot accept sewage spilling into our rivers for days, weeks and sometimes even years."
He said rigorous engagement has ensured the water authorities respond to problems.
The botanical garden began conducting daily dissolved oxygen readings in the river. "If we see that the oxygen level plummets, then we know there's pollution upstream and alert [Oberlechner] and the team," Hankey said.
Once a leak is identified, usually from an overflowing manhole, Oberlechner locates, logs and shares it.
Response times have improved significantly. Repairs take a day, on average, but sometimes are done within hours.
The watch group also conducts regular boundary checks to prevent unauthorised access through damaged fences. They have also removed thousands of snares.
The impact on local wildlife has been profound, particularly for the Marico barb. Previous surveys found them only to be present in the garden's plunge pool, but Hankey said recent aquatic monitoring shows they are now "thriving in the entire stretch of the river".
"Obviously, being fish, they're very susceptible to water quality. If the water quality deteriorates, they quickly die out".
Other animals also use the river, including black eagles and several mammals. Camera traps have confirmed the presence of honey badgers, servals, caracals, jackals, porcupines, clawless otters, and the endangered southern mountain reedbuck.
The Sugarbush Ridges Coalition - made up of NPOs like the Black Eagle Project Roodekrans and the Wild Orchids Southern Africa Society - has led many conservation efforts in the area.
They combat urban sprawl, organise volunteer ranger patrols to prevent poaching and illegal off-roading, monitor the breeding cycles of the Verreaux's eagles, and protect rare flora. They also educate the community about sustainable conservation.
Upward battle
"Unfortunately, despite some great workers, particularly at Johannesburg Water, responses are more reactive than proactive," said Oberlechner.
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A case in point is a sewage aqueduct crossing the stream. Its pillars have been eroded by floods over the years, but there have been no repairs.
"If [the aqueduct] falls or cracks, all the sewage from the two municipalities will end up straight in that river," said Oberlechner.
Mogale City spokesperson Adrian Amod and Johannesburg Water spokesperson Nombuso Shabalala told GroundUp that interventions across their network are ongoing, and they are committed to working with the national department and "sector partners" to improve wastewater operations, protect public health, and safeguard the environment.
Johannesburg and Mogale City have seen a regression in their Green Drop Scores, which assesses sanitation management. Johannesburg received a score of under 50%, and Mogale City under 30%.
Oberlechner said that there needs to be a shift in public thinking. "Our biggest threat to our environment and our conservation areas is the mindset that somebody else will [act]," he said.
"Take the initiative and do it yourself because nobody else is going to do it. Put pressure on your councillors, municipality and more - don't sit around".
