Jukskei River as it runs through Alexandra township
	ENVIRONMENT

UNDER the leadership of Bennet Maphaka, the Environmental Health Unit, in conjunction with the provincial government, is entrusted with safeguarding the city's environment by monitoring the waterways, the quality of the air, smells, buildings and empty spaces across the city to prevent outbreaks of disease. The unit is responsible for ensuring food and milk safety, water quality management, air quality management, vacant stands and areas used for legal and illegal dumping. Other functions of the unit include pest control, housing nuisances, trade licences and street trading, noise pollution, and control of places of care and research. Read more

'Dirty' Klipspruit River gets major cleanup June 25, 2002 By Thomas Thale THE Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA) is devising a three-year plan to rehabilitate the Klipspruit River - which runs through Kliptown in the south of Johannesburg - at a cost of R86-million. The JDA is a city-owned company which oversees the renovation of the city and its surrounding areas. The plan will form part of the Greater Kliptown Development Project, a massive initiative to make Kliptown more habitable and conducive to business. It includes the construction of a museum and monument at Freedom Square. The river is polluted and overgrown with reeds following years of neglect. The plan proposes to rehabilitate the sewer system in the area and to upgrade the infrastructure in and around the river. Aubrey Manganyi, project manager of the JDA's Greater Kliptown Development Project, described the sewer system as a major pollutant of the river. The JDA plans to upgrade the bulk sewer supply system which transports sewerage to the treatment plant, Manganyi explained. The idea is to remove reeds from the river and develop adjacent open spaces into viable public parks with recreational facilities. According to Manganyi, the JDA is in the process of appointing consultants to conduct environmental impact studies for the project. Construction on the site will commence in August. RELATED ARTICLES: A makeover for historic Kliptown Historic Kliptown gets its first museum Permission to use web site material Publishers may use material from this site free of charge, as long as: Credit is given to either the "City of Johannesburg website (www.joburg.org.za)" or to "Johannesburg News Agency (www.joburg.org.za)"; If the article is used online, a link is provided to the original article on this website; The name of the article's author is acknowledged; The webmaster is informed of how and where the material is used (fill in this brief online form). Johannesburg News Agency is operated by BIG Media at 011-484-1400