GREEN NEWSPage 4 23 April 2010

Keep it tidy: appeal to Warwick traders SDB climate change

Support pledgedfor Ntuzuma co-op

Umlazi rivers targeted in cleanup

MUSA MTHALANE

A CAMPAIGN was recentlylaunched to educated streettraders and the public to keepeThekwini clean and to userubbish bins.

The Warwick JunctionTransport and InformalTraders Waste ManagementEducation Programme in-volves Durban Solid Waste(DSW) and the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Agri-

culture, Environmental Affairsand Rural Development.

DSW Deputy Head RobertAbbu said at the launch thatWarwick Junction was thebusiest area in Durban andlitter in the area was a bigproblem.

He urged the Warwick com-munity to work with theMunicipality to overcome theproblem. “We must use binsand people must make surethey protect the environment

by keeping eThekwini clean,”said Abbu.

He said street traders andtaxi drivers should be at theforefront of getting thismessage across to the publicbecause they deal withthousands of people daily.

Dr William Ngema, of theKwaZulu-Natal Departmentof Agriculture, EnvironmentalAffairs and Rural Develop-ment, said people should gettogether to form co-opera-

tives to keep the city clean.Bheki Mbambo, a traders’

representative, appealed tostreet traders and taxi driversto keep their surroundingsclean as this would be goodfor businesses.

He said this would beparticularly important duringthe World Cup when it wouldbe important to make a goodimpression on visitors so thatthey return to the city.

mthalanemusa@durban.gov.za

MACK MAKHATHINI and MUSA MTHALANE

A STORMWATER and bio-diversity awareness campaignwas launched in Umlazi rec-ently, during National WaterWeek.

The campaign, by the Coa-stal Stormwater and Catch-ment Management Unit,aimed to foster understandingof the importance of waterresources and biodiversity.

It encouraged residents,especially pupils, to partici-pate in water resource pro-jects. Umlazi was targeted

because its streams are heav-ily polluted.

The unit’s Area CatchmentCoordinator, Mpume Gum-ede, said they used WaterWeek to educate residentsabout water-borne diseasesand why we need cleanstreams.

Gumede said they had“adopted” a stream in Umlazi,which they would clean andplant its banks with indige-nous trees. “We will then handover the stream to the com-munity so they can monitor itand report any illegaldumping to us,” she said.

Gumede thanked the mainsponsors, Toyota SA, for itssupport.

Toyota SA provided T-shirts,caps and refreshments forthose taking part in the aware-ness campaign.

Ward 76 CouncillorMshiyeni Mzobe thanked theMunicipality for cleaning theriver and said he hoped thecommunity would learn fromthe initiative and take care ofother streams in the area.

Gumede said National WaterWeek was celebrated everyyear from 15 to 19 March.

It encompasses World Water

Day, which focuses on pro-tecting and conserving scarcewater resources.

The United Nations declar-ed 2010 the International Yearof Biodiversity.

It is a celebration of allnatural life.

The theme of National Waterweek was, “Together we cansave more”. It’s a call for localaction that comes amidgrowing international con-cern over the effect climatechange may have on waterresources and biodiversity.

makhathinim@durban.gov.zamthalanem@durban.gov.za

Municipality fired up to tackle aliensNOMA BOLANI

THE Municipality has beenworking to rid theconservation area aroundVirginia Airport and the RuthFirst Highway (M4) ofinvasive alien plants.

The EnvironmentalPlanning and ClimateChange ProtectionDepartment has teamed upwith environmentalorganisation Working on Fireon the project, which aims toprotect local eco-systems.

The project also givespeople jobs and an

opportunity to learn skills.Large alien plant are being

felled and those growing ingrasslands are burnt.

Most grasslands requireburning. This, and theremoval of the alien plants,helps protect eco-systems.

Working on Fire isconcentrating its efforts ineThekwini on conservationareas identified by theEnvironmental Planning andClimate Change ProtectionDepartment. The departmentpicks areas with valuablebiodiversity that needclearing of alien plants.

These include weeds suchas Acacia saligna (known asthe Port Jackson willow).

Department Ecologist, ErrolDouwes, said, “The acacia,originally from Australia, is aa huge problem in the Capeand we intend to tackle itsemergence before it becomesentrenched in Durban.”

He said it was vital toremove the plant now,because later the cost ofremoving it will multiplywhile the plant doesconsiderable damage tonaturally occurring species.

The project is using organic

linseed-based cutter-barlubrication on theirchainsaws when felling trees.

This reduces watercontamination and otherharm to the environmentassociated with morecommonly used mineral oil-based lubricants.

Deputy Mayor LogieNaidoo said the eradicationof alien plants was helpingDurban remain a “sub-tropical paradise ahead of theWorld Cup”. It would alsoensure the area’s long-termsustainablity, he said.

bolanin@durban.gov.za

GIVING IT THE CHOP: Alex Gumede and Errol Douwes help clear the conservation area near the Virginia Airportof invasive alien plants Picture: NOMA BOLANI

NOMA BOLANI

THE Association for the Aged(Tafta) residents were treatedto free vegetables harvestedfrom Imagine Durban’s cityveggie garden, outside theCity Hall’s Pixley kaSemeStreet entrance, last week.

Green chillies, celery andspring onions were among theveggies picked by the pen-sioners with the help of theImagine Durban team and aParks, Leisure and CemeteriesDepartment worker.

Imagine Durban’s DorothyLutchmiah said, “This projectaims to educate and providefood security to eThekwiniresidents and we hope otherpeople are motivated to plantvegetable gardens, not only attheir homes but also atcompany buildings.”

In the next phase of theproject, the Parks, Leisure andCemeteries Department willprovide Tafta with soil,compost and seed trays tohelp them create and planttheir own vegetable garden.

The department will alsoshow them how to nurture a

garden so that it produces agood harvest each season.

Irene Mokoena, a Tafta resi-dent, said, “It is commendablewhat Imagine Durban and theMunicipality are doing.

“By growing these vegetablegardens and giving us theproduce, the Municipalityshows it cares for itsresidents.”

ExpansionLutchmiah said her team

was looking at expanding thecity vegetable garden conceptto other municipal buildings,so that other people in needcould be helped too.

She said such projects areimportant at a time when thecost of living is so high – veggiegardens make it possible toprovide food free of charge.

• The Imagine Durbanproject is implemented by theMunicipality in conjunctionwith Sustainable Cities, aVancouver non-governmentorganisation and the PlusNetwork, a network of 35cities in 14 countries.

bolanin@durban.gov.za

MACK MAKHATHINI

A WOMEN’S cooperative,which will focus on farmingand recycling, was launchedin Ntuzuma recently, withpromises of support from theMunicipality and the Kwa-Zulu-Natal government.

Linda Mbonambi, ProjectManager for the Inanda,Ntuzuma and KwaMashu(Ink) Area Based Management(ABM), said he would look tohelp the cooperative set up arainwater harvesting irriga-tion system.

“We will organise tanks oranother form of irrigationwith the eThekwini Water andSanitation Unit.

“We will also look at trainingand teach you pricing so thatyou make profits,” he toldmembers of the co-op.

Mbonambi said he wouldwork with the cooperative toreward those who did well.

Speaking on behalf of KZNAgriculture, EnvironmentalAffairs and Rural Develop-ment MEC Lydia Johnson,

Nompumelelo Mnconywaurged co-op members toplant a variety of crops, ratherthan copying one another.

She brought them seedlings.Ward 43 Councillor Dumi-

sani Mabizela congratulatedthe co-op and promised hissupport. He said the projectwas in line with the govern-ment’s call for one home, onegarden

Paulos Gwala, who spoke forthe co-op, thanked the InkABM for its help.

“We now have cooperativesand can sustain ourselves.People’s lives have changed.

“It is now up to us to put theknowledge we received fromInk to good use,” said Gwala.

He encouraged youngstersto join farming and recyclingprojects. “I invite the youth tobe part of farming. We areoften told by departmentsthat there is money set asidefor the youth to be part of suchprogrammes, but they arenowhere to be found,” saidGwala.

makhathinim@durban.gov.za

Harvesthelp forcity elderly

THE Municipality’s SouthDurban Basin (SDB) AreaBased Management launcheda climate change initiative lastweek.

Representatives of busines-ses, the government and non-governmental organisationsspent a day identifying solu-tions to problems faced bypeople in the area.

In an address at the launch,Deputy Mayor Logie Naidoosaid the initiative was “part of

the broader picture of all of usin the public and private sec-tor getting involved in climatechange initiatives”.

SDB ABM CommunicationManager Sifiso Xulu said asteering committee would beelected on 7 May and it wouldbe tasked with identifyingprojects to be implemented.

If you are interested inattending the election, callAnisa Khan at 031 201 3126. –Metro Reporter