Author | Nelson Broden – Business Lead Pragma Managed Services
The Hennops River, once part of Gauteng’s natural beauty, has become a warning bell. After heavy rainfall, stretches of the river have turned vivid green, fed by nutrients from failing wastewater works, leaking pipelines, and neglected infrastructure. Yet the Hennops is not alone — it’s one of many South African rivers burdened by ageing assets, weak enforcement, and poor environmental practice.
The question isn’t whether the situation is serious — it is. The question is whether we can reverse it. The answer is yes, but only through collaboration grounded in humility, persistence, and discipline.
Understanding the problem
South Africa has strong legislation and water standards such as the Blue and Green Drop frameworks, but the gap lies in maintenance, enforcement, and behaviour. Many wastewater treatment works are in critical condition, and an estimated one-third of systems discharge partially treated or raw sewage downstream. Illegal dumping, ageing infrastructure, and capacity constraints deepen the crisis.
Yet progress is possible. A 2024 study on the Chatty River in Gqeberha found that retrofitting sustainable drainage systems — including wetlands, retention ponds, and infiltration measures — could reduce pollutants by up to 80%1. Researchers are also piloting resource recovery systems that reclaim water, nutrients, and energy instead of simply releasing effluent2. These examples show that the tools and science already exist; what’s needed is alignment and sustained action.
Seeds of hope
Across the country, communities and municipalities are experimenting with new models. In eThekwini, the Transformative Riverine Management Programme3 brings together city departments, NGOs, and residents to clear waterways and restore flow paths — reducing flood damage in active zones. In Johannesburg, the SUNCASA project4 is reviving sections of the Jukskei with nature-based solutions that stabilise banks, restore wetlands, and create jobs. On the Western Cape coast, the Hartenbos Estuary project5 is demonstrating how improved wastewater treatment and reuse can ease pressure on sensitive ecosystems.
Globally, cities from São Paulo to Chennai are applying similar principles — combining governance reform, asset visibility, and community partnerships to recover water quality. Even in resource-constrained settings, progress happens when “soft” and “hard” interventions work hand in hand.
Asset management as structure, not superiority
True asset management isn’t about having all the answers; it’s about structured humility and disciplined learning. It builds visibility through clear asset registers, uses data and condition monitoring to guide priorities, and directs maintenance where it matters most. It fosters shared accountability between municipalities, NGOs, and regulators, while recognising that technology alone won’t solve what poor behaviour and weak enforcement break. Most importantly, it adapts as assets, budgets, and communities evolve.
A call to collaborate
No single organisation – Pragma or otherwise – can fix the Hennops. Real change demands a networked coalition: municipalities driving reform, NGOs and communities offering insight and monitoring, researchers guiding decisions, the private sector contributing expertise, and regulators ensuring accountability.
The Hennops River is crying out — not just for cleanup, but for collective stewardship. The tools and knowledge exist; what’s missing is the will to act together. If your organisation shares this purpose, join us in mapping assets, planning smart interventions, and measuring progress. Let’s give South Africa’s rivers the care and future they deserve.
References:
- Reduction of pollution levels in the Chatty River, Gqeberha, South Africa, through sustainable drainage systems: Bethelsdorp sub-catchment case study | Water SA
- Resource recovery from and management of wastewater in rural South Africa: Possibilities and practices – ScienceDirect
- Transformative Riverine Management Programme I South Africa
- River Restoration and Urban NbS in Johannesburg, South Africa – Nature-Based Infrastructure Global Resource Centre
- iisd.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/savi-wastewater-treatment-infrastructure-hartenbos-estuary-south-africa.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com
