Protection and survival of our wetlands is vital for our existence
THE threat to South Africa’s wetlands continues to increase each year, as we recklessly persist in prioritising development over these important natural resources that are being destroyed at an alarming speed.
As we advance the development of our country, we at the same time wipe out our wetlands and this will surely come back to haunt us.
There is no doubt that the deteriorating state of our wetlands has a negative impact on the availability of our water resources.
And, it is for this reason that throughout this month the Department of Water and Sanitation is working with a variety of partners to raise awareness about, and to shine the spotlight on, this pressing issue.
As we prioritise development, we run a serious risk of drowning in the in river of waste. This is shown by the sad use of wetlands as dumping areas and the undertaking of building developments everywhere, including on wetlands. This is a grave infraction that cannot be allowed to continue. There are far too many wetlands that are left unrehabilitated by those who interfere with their health, posing a danger for the country’s future water security.
This state of affairs is more distressing now because the transgressors seem to be committed to the idea that if they are not caught by those responsible for enforcing environmental laws, they will continue with their shameless activities.
The suffocation and destruction of the wetlands is not an isolated issue, but a macrocosm of a much bigger challenge that we face. There are a range of environmental problems that our country and, indeed many countries, especially the developing countries, contend with. Thus the destruction and pollution of the wetlands is one of the many environmental challenges that must be tackled head-on.
It is ironic that in our advance to become a developed nation, we have ditched the sustainable development ethic and are affecting the very quality of life we seek to improve. In fact, our development efforts are taking away the environmental instruments that are core to life itself, thus leading to a lowering of quality of life.
In pursuit of development, we underestimate the role that wetlands play in various aspects of our lives. When convenient for us, we seem to forget that these natural resources play a crucial role on the preservation of our water resources. We are allowing development and economic interests to override the importance of our wetlands.
The sustainability of our water resources is dependent on the preservation of the wetlands. Therefore, it is hard to imagine how the future would look like in our developmental efforts when we run out of water.
The sobering reality is that however imaginative and innovative we are, there cannot be any development without water.
Despite the fact that the challenge of pollution of wetlands is ascribed to industries such as mining and agriculture, all of us to some extent are responsible for this sad state of affairs.
In this regard, we should all respond to the call made by our government and other bodies working for the protection of the environment all over the world and lend a hand to the project of conserving natural resources.
All of us are called upon to support efforts to foster the responsibility that will ensure that economic interests and development do not take place at the expense of our natural resources.
In this context, the protection of wetlands is vital to obviate the possibility of calamities, such as ash floods, while ensuring the water security of our country.
HOSIA SITHOLE
Communicator at the Department of Water and Sanitation, Gauteng Region