GIB Works for Water – and prosperity – in the Eastern Cape
THE Gamtoos Irrigation Board rolled out its first Working for Water (WfW) projects in 1999, and has since successfully delivered an array of Natural Resource Management Programmes (NRMP).
These projects form part of the Expanded Public Works Programme, and aim to create employment and skills development opportunities across much of the Eastern Cape, from Matatiele near the Lesotho border all the way to Tsitsikamma.
GIB currently implemented as many as 34 WfW projects since 1996, that are working actively to clear water weeds and invasive alien plants (IAPs) on land. As many as 30 full-time people had been employed exclusively for this work, who were managed by three area managers.
South Africa’s Department of Environmental Affairs administers the Working for Water (WfW) programme that was launched nationally in 1995. WfW aims to clear and control invasive alien plants which crowd out native plant species, leading to ecosystems being overcome, the obstruction of agriculture, and, perhaps most concerningly, the loss and diversion of enormous amounts of water worsening the drought.
WfW also manages indigenous plant nurseries to revegitate land that has been cleared or degraded.
Andrew Knipe, area manager for the eastern part of the Eastern Cape (Gqeberha to East London), speaks of the ongoing work they do: “The success story of Working for Water is that it is built on small partnerships. When these partnerships work, they have the ability to develop into bigger partnerships.
“GIB has been operational in many areas, but some highlights are evident in the work that has been achieved in the Albany and Hogsback projects over the past few years. Work at the Albany project directly benefits the water supply of Grahamstown (Makhanda), as well as that of Bathurst and Port Alfred.
“The secret of the success here has been consistent effort over many years. Alien vegetation clearing requires continuous follow-up and maintenance of cleared areas. This ongoing process requires proper systems to be in place.
“It is because of the sound administration and financial systems provided by GIB that we have been able to run a complex interaction of employment, the environment, health and safety, and management.
Regarding current and forthcoming projects, he adds: “The focus area of WfW is to bring follow-up areas under control and to get teams working on new start-ups as soon as possible.”
For people who are keen to plant indigenous and get rid of invasive alien species, Andrew is encouraging: “Kouga Nursery runs a programme to supply trees to people who request them. Over the past year, the nursery has donated more than 17,000 trees to various individuals.”
In the north-eastern part of the Eastern Cape (the former Transkei), Justice Ngcengane is the area manager.
“Working outdoors is my passion,” he says. “My love for nature, and being able to contribute to the improvement of biodiversity and the ecosystem, is something that is very close to my heart.
“I am involved in boosting the land where alien growth has been eradicated by re-establishing indigenous vegetation to combat soil erosion. Working for Water has been clearing alien invasive species for many years, leaving some cleared-out areas with soil that is susceptible to degradation.
“In these areas, special intervention is needed in the form of vegetation rehabilitation.
“The Working for Water programme is labour intensive, balancing production against the health and safety of the people who are doing the job physically. This is why education and training of the workers is essential.”
Justice offers the following advice with regard to identifying, removing and preventing alien plant invasions: “Alien invasive species are mostly evergreen, fast-growing and vigorous plants that suppress and out-compete indigenous species.
“There are registered herbicides that can be used to treat them and the best way to ensure that they don’t come back is to plant grass cover where they have been removed as this will suppress regrowth from the seedbank.
“Alternatively, seedlings should be controlled before they produce seeds again, until the area is covered by indigenous species or grass in places where the area is intended for grazing.”
The work done by GIB through its support of Working for Water has had an enormous impact on the alleviation of poverty in the area. Each year, more than 300 SMME contractors assist in implementing these projects, which positively impacts the households of about 3,000 people.
Die GIB Werk vir Water – en welvaart – in die Oos-Kaap
DIE Gamtoos-besproeiingsraad het sy eerste Werk vir Water (WvW)-projekte in 1999 ontplooi en het sedertdien verskeie natuurlike hulpbronbestuursprogramme suksesvol gelewer.
Hierdie projekte vorm deel van die Uitgebreide Openbare Werke-program, en hul doel is om werks- en vaardigheidsontwikkelingsgeleenthede oor ‘n groot deel van die Oos-Kaap te skep, van Matatiele naby die Lesotho-grens tot by die Tsitsikamma.
Die GIB het tans soveel as 34 WvW-projekte sedert 1996 geïmplementeer wat aktief te werk gaan om wateronkruid en indringerplante op land te verwyder. Soveel as 30 voltydse mense is eksklusief vir hierdie werk in diens geneem, wat deur drie areabestuurders bestuur is.
Suid-Afrika se Departement van Omgewingsake administreer die Werk vir Water-program wat nasionaal in 1995 reeds van stapel gestuur is. WvW se doel is om indringerplante wat inheemse spesies verdring uit te wis en te beheer. Hierdie tipe indringers lei daartoe dat ekosisteme oorkom word, die landbou belemmer word, en, selfs meer kommerwekkend, tot die verlies en afleiding van enorme hoeveelhede water, wat dus die droogte vererger.
WvW bestuur ook inheemse plantkwekerye om grond wat ontbos of verarm is, te herstel.
Andrew Knipe, areabestuurder vir die oostelike deel van die Oos-Kaap (Gqeberha tot Oos-Londen), sê die volgende oor die deurlopende werk wat hulle doen: “Die suksesverhaal van Werk vir Water is dat dit op klein vennootskappe gebou is. Wanneer hierdie vennootskappe werk, het hulle die vermoë om in groter vennootskappe te ontwikkel.
“Die GIB was op baie gebiede operasioneel, maar van die hoogtepunte is duidelik sigbaar in die werk wat die afgelope paar jaar in die Albany- en Hogsback-projekte behaal is. Werk by die Albany-projek bevoordeel direk die watervoorsiening van Grahamstad (Makhanda), sowel as dié van Bathurst en Port Alfred.
“Die geheim van die sukses hier was konstante poging oor baie jare. Die verwydering van uitheemse plantegroei vereis deurlopende opvolg en instandhouding van gerehabiliteerde gebiede. Hierdie deurlopende proses vereis dat behoorlike stelsels in plek is.
“Dit is te danke aan die gesonde administrasie en finansiële stelsels wat deur die GIB verskaf word dat ons ‘n komplekse interaksie van indiensneming, die omgewing, gesondheid en veiligheid, asook bestuur, kon bedryf.”
Wat huidige en komende projekte betref, voeg hy by: “Die fokusarea van WvW is om opvolgareas onder beheer te bring en om spanne so gou moontlik aan nuwe areas te laat werk.”
Vir mense wat gretig is om inheems te plant en van indringer uitheemse spesies ontslae te raak, is Andrew bemoedigend: “Die Kouga Kwekery bedryf ‘n program om bome te verskaf aan diegene wat dit versoek. Die kwekery het die afgelope jaar meer as 17,000 bome aan verskeie individue geskenk.”
In die noordoostelike deel van die Oos-Kaap (die voormalige Transkei) is Justice Ngcengane die areabestuurder.
“Om in die buitelug te werk is my passie,” sê hy. “My liefde vir die natuur, en om te kan bydra tot die verbetering van biodiversiteit en die ekosisteem, is iets wat my na aan die hart lê.
“Ek is betrokke by die verbetering van grond, waar uitheemse groei uitgewis is, deur die hervestiging van inheemse plantegroei om gronderosie te bekamp. Werk vir Water het vir baie jare reeds uitheemse indringerspesies verwyder, wat van die gebiede agterlaat met grond wat vatbaar is vir verarming.
“In hierdie gebiede is spesiale ingryping in die vorm van plantegroei-rehabilitasie nodig.
“Die Werk vir Water-program is arbeidsintensief, en balanseer produksie teen die gesondheid en veiligheid van die mense wat fisies die werk doen. Dit is hoekom die onderrig en opleiding van die werkers noodsaaklik is.”
Justice gee die volgende raad met betrekking tot die identifisering, verwydering en voorkoming van indringerplante: “Uitheemse indringerspesies is meestal immergroen, sterk- en vinnig-groeiende plante wat kompeteer met inheemse spesies en hulle onderdruk.
“Daar is geregistreerde onkruiddoders wat gebruik kan word om hulle te behandel en die beste manier om te verseker dat hulle nie terugkom nie, is om grasbedekking te plant waar dit verwyder is, aangesien dit hergroei van die saadbank sal onderdruk.
“Alternatiewelik moet saailinge beheer word voordat hulle weer saad produseer, totdat die gebied deur inheemse spesies of gras bedek is op plekke waar dit vir weiding bedoel is.”
Die werk wat die GIB gedoen het deur ondersteuning van Werk vir Water het ‘n enorme impak op die verligting van armoede in die gebied gehad. Elke jaar help meer as 300 KMMO-kontrakteurs met die implementering van hierdie projekte, wat die huishoudings van ongeveer 3,000 mense positief beïnvloed.