Wetland Clean-Up Campaign Raises Awareness in Kagiso 2
Thabo Motlhabi
The Department of Integrated Environmental Management in Mogale City recently hosted a wetland clean-up campaign. Hosted at Maimane Drive, Kagiso 2, on Thursday, 26 February 2026. The event formed part of activities to celebrate wetland month in South Africa and brought together various stakeholders and community members of Kagiso 2.
South Africa observed World Wetland Day every year on the 2nd of February to highlight the importance of wetlands in supporting water purification, flood control, and biodiversity.
The aim of the event was to raise awareness among residents about environmental challenges, particularly pollution and illegal dumping that affect wetlands and water sources. Organisers also used the opportunity to educate the community on the importance of protecting these sensitive ecosystems. Illegal dumping in wetlands poses serious environmental and health risks, including contaminated water sources, sewage, pollution, air pollution, and the spread of pests that can cause illnesses within the community.
Speaking at the campaign, Associate: Environmental Education and Awareness Manager, Mrs Zama Ngidi, encouraged community members of Kagiso to take responsibility by protecting the environment.
“Wetlands are living ecosystems. When we protect them, we protect ourselves, our children, and the future of Kagiso. Let us continue working together with unity, purpose, and resilience. Each clean-up, each workshop, and each conversation brings us closer to a cleaner, greener, and safer Kagiso.”
The campaign also highlighted the roles residents can play in maintaining a clean environment. Community members were reminded that littering and illegal dumping not only damage ecosystems but also create safety hazards and contribute to environmental degradation.
Chairperson of the Mogale Business Forum, Mrs Felicity Lepere, emphasised the importance of community awareness in addressing illegal dumping.
“As we have been actively
working on cleaning and clearing illegal dumping in our different communities. We have realised that a clean environment starts with one conscious decision: not to dump. Just as much as we have realised that community awareness is a key in compacting the issue of illegal dumping. In most cases, communities don’t know that they can liaise with the municipality when they are building for rubble collections instead of dumping it in the open spaces. Bringing to their attention the health implications illegal dumping has on children and our own health. The increase in infections of rats and the decrease in house values. We as the environment ambassadors believe that together we can make our communities healthier, safer, and a place we are proud of.”
At the end of the campaign, participants were provided with black refuse bags and assisted in collecting litter and rubble from the wetland areas, demonstrating the importance of community actions in protecting the environment.