Alexandra Water Warriors – Story and Projects

Who are the Alexandra Water Warriors?

The Jukskei River has a bad reputation. Polluted from underground and above, it has become notorious for its filthy stench and questionable contents. The river first sees the light near the Johannesburg CBD, then marches north to join the Crocodile River and eventually Hartbeespoort Dam. Along its tragic journey, it flows through Alexandra, a vibrant township of nearly 400 000[1] people.

In Alex, service delivery is unreliable, and some of the residents have started throwing rubbish into the river instead. This combined with all the litter it collects upstream makes for very dirty water indeed. In 2021, a group of concerned Alexandra residents finally came together to say enough is enough.

This is how the Alexandra Water Warriors was born. So far, the Alex Water Warriors have removed over a thousand tonnes of rubbish from the Jukskei River, filling about 600 bin bags every day.

Why Clean the River? A Vision for Eco-Tourism

“Alexandra is forever in the news for the wrong reasons,” says Paul Maluleke, co-founder of the Alex Water Warriors, “it’s not easy to sell it as a tourist destination. To clean up our name, we must start cleaning up our environment.”

Before Alex Water Warriors, Paul Maluleke founded the Greater Alexandra Tourism & Heritage Association (GATHA). GATHA’s goal is to bring tourism into Alexandra, generating income for the community and showcasing the township’s incredible heritage. To this end, cleaning up the Jukskei River is crucial. With a clean, fresh river to enjoy, tourists are more likely to come back.

Ordinary People Can be Environmentalists Too

Alex Water Warriors is not just any environmental organisation. It’s run by residents, not outside NGOs or corporates, and was born out of a shared desire to make the township cleaner and safer. “It’s dangerous for our children!” cries a mom from Alexandra when interviewed about the river. The polluted water had become a health hazard, and community members were tired of living in fear.

The environmental movement is so strong in Alex that the area now has its own river patrollers. “We take care of this river,” says patroller Bhekumuzi Hleza. “We make sure people don’t dump their waste in the river. We give them warnings and educate them – they must know the history of the Jukskei.”

The Alex Water Warriors has become a symbol of hope for the community. Hundreds of people who started out as volunteers now earn stipends through expanded public works programmes with Joburg City Parks. The Water Warriors have also collaborated with Water For The Future which focuses on cleaning the Jukskei at its source in the CBD.

Alex Water Warriors: Projects and Impact

River Litter Trap

In 2022, the Alex Water Warriors set up a litter trap in the Jukskei River to catch plastic bottles, polystyrene, and other trash as it floats past. The trap was made from 5L water bottles tied together with netting. With help from Willem Snyman from Fresh NGO and Faaizah Mohomed from the Nanima Foundation, volunteers carefully installed the device between the river banks.

This litter trap is cheap to make and easy to maintain. Every day, it catches dozens of rubbish bags worth of litter, preventing it from flowing into other communities and eventually the sea. Waste pickers in Alex can also use the litter trap to collect recyclables like cooldrink bottles, milk bottles, and plastic bags.

Recycling Stations

In Alexandra, many residents use recycling as a source of income. These hardworking waste pickers aka reclaimers often travel great distances to collect recyclables from affluent areas and transport them to buy-back centres. Now they can recycle closer to home, thanks to the Alex Water Warriors.

Through their inspiring river clean-ups, the Water Warriors attracted the attention of many corporate businesses and NGOs. Business leaders were so inspired by what was happening in Alex that they decided to donate recycling stations for the community to use. In 2023, Coca-Cola built a recycling centre in East Bank for glass, plastics, metal, and paper. eWASA built a similar centre for e-waste recycling in River Park.

River Bank Restoration

Alex Water Warriors was recently chosen as a partner for the international SUNCASA project. The three-year programme is funded by Global Affairs Canada. It’s about preserving nature in African cities to reduce the risk of floods and prevent urban heat islands, which form when built-up areas don’t have enough greenery. In August 2024, the Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mélanie Joly, visited Alexandra to meet with the Water Warriors.

Over the next three years, the Alex Water Warriors will be planting indigenous trees and removing invasive species along the river bank. This work is part of a greening programme designed to protect the river banks from soil erosion and floods. The project is already underway with 300 new trees planted to date!

Help the Alex Water Warriors Make an Even Bigger Impact

Alexandra Water Warriors is an inspiring story of a community coming together to make a difference. Tired of years of government neglect, residents decided to stand up against pollution and give their neighbourhood hope once more. Their dedication is paying off, but their hard work is just beginning.

Donate to the Alex Water Warriors to help them buy gloves, bags, safety boots, conti-suits, training materials, scales, sorting stations, and fuel for their trucks. Businesses can also partner with the Water Warriors by sponsoring clean-ups, bringing in volunteers, or funding a new project.

SOURCES:

Interviews:

[1] https://www.southafrica.net/za/en/travel/article/alexandra-heritage-precinct-historic-and-iconic

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