The unfamiliar sight of women wearing red work suits and bandanas removing material in the Buffalo River catchment area can be a slightly suspicious sight, enough to alert the authorities!

Before you decide to set the authorities to investigate this suspicious activity – hold on – these are women beneficiaries of the Adopt a River Programme!

The result of their activities is a cleaner and healthier Buffalo River and environment, something that we will all benefit from. As they work in and around the various areas in the Buffalo River catchment, they are readily identifiable by their bright red work suits and bandanas, working in teams removing litter, water hyacinth and other physical obstructions from the river.

The overall objective of the project is to clean the Buffalo River and it’s immediate surroundings, from source to sea, as well as providing life skills training for the participating beneficiaries.

The Adopt a River Programme is an initiative of the Department of Water Affairs and it aims to develop an increased awareness of South Africa’s water resources and increasing community participation in taking care of these resources.

The Buffalo River was chosen as one of four flagship projects identified across the country, with rivers in the provinces of Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal, Western Cape and the Eastern Cape having been earmarked.

Amatola Water was appointed as the implementing agent for the project and the utility’s Institutional Support & Development supervisor, Nomnikelo Botha has been appointed as the Project Manager.

It is hoped that increased knowledge of water resources will develop into an active participation by stakeholders in contributing to environmental management, and ultimately result in better management and protection of our environment and, specifically, of scarce and precious water resources.

“The project makes use of women beneficiaries, selected through the involvement of ward councillors, from areas closest to the river stretching from Stutterheim, through King William’s Town and Zwelitsha to East London.