On the banks of the Apies River in Pretoria North, government officials, schoolchildren, corporate partners and community volunteers rolled up their sleeves together this week as Water and Sanitation Deputy Minister Dr Jack Bloom launched the 2026 Clear Rivers Campaign – a nationwide call for South Africans to become custodians of the country’s precious freshwater resources.
Held during Mandela Month under the theme “South Africa is a water-scarce country – Clean up and protect our water resources”, Monday’s launch united national, provincial and local government, State-owned entities, environmental organisations, schools, the private sector and volunteers in a shared mission: restoring one of Gauteng’s hardest-working rivers.
67 Minutes for Our Rivers
The campaign encourages citizens to dedicate their 67 minutes of Mandela Day service to cleaning rivers, wetlands, streams, canals and dams – turning a symbolic gesture into a practical gift for future generations.
“Our rivers are the lifeblood of our communities, our economy and our ecosystems,” Bloom said in his keynote address. “Their protection cannot be left to government alone. Every South African has a responsibility to prevent pollution, report illegal dumping and become an active custodian of our water resources.”
Citizen Science on the Riverbank
Acting Deputy Director-General for Water Resources Management, Dr Moloko Matlala, described the Apies as a historically significant river that continues to support communities, biodiversity and local livelihoods. He encouraged residents to join the department’s Adopt-a-River Programme, which trains citizens to monitor river health through initiatives like the mini Stream Assessment Scoring System (miniSASS) – putting real science in the hands of ordinary people and building community ownership of river care.
The event also celebrated those already doing the work. The Environmental Warriors, led by citizen scientist Noloyiso Mbiza, have been running regular clean-ups along the Apies River since 2023, proving that sustained local action can shift the fortunes of a river.
The Next Generation Leads
One of the day’s highlights came from its youngest speaker: a nine-year-old learner from Laerskool Akasia, representing the Environmental Warriors, who urged fellow young people to become environmental ambassadors and reminded the crowd that protecting rivers begins with individual responsibility.
Representatives from Plastics SA, Rand Water, the Trans-Caledon Tunnel Authority, the City of Tshwane and other partners reaffirmed their commitment to deeper collaboration on river conservation, environmental education and responsible waste management – before joining the Deputy Minister, officials and community members for a hands-on clean-up along the riverbank.
From a nine-year-old ambassador to seasoned citizen scientists, the message from the Apies was unmistakable: South Africa’s rivers have friends in every generation, and the movement to restore them is growing stronger by the year.
Photo: commons.wikimedia.org
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