Residents along Johannesburg's Jukskei River are restoring a polluted waterway using art, clean-ups and nature-based solutions as part of the Suncasa project. The Alexandra Water Warriors lead efforts in Alexandra, turning waste into art installations that trap litter and boost local pride. The initiative improves river health and reduces flood risks.
A community-led restoration along the Jukskei River in Johannesburg is turning a once-polluted waterway into an area of environmental recovery and creativity. The effort, part of the Suncasa programme—Scaling Urban Nature-Based Solutions for Climate Adaptation in Sub-Saharan Africa—is backed by the International Institute for Sustainable Development and World Resources Institute.
Programme manager Chanel Pather explained the project's scope: “Alexandra is not our only site. We start in Lorentzville, where Victoria Yards is, where the Jukskei comes out from under Ellis Park Stadium all the way into Alexandra, and we run all the way to Paulshof. This whole stretch is about six kilometres or so.”
Key actions include removing alien invasive plants, which destabilise riverbanks and harm biodiversity, by partners Water for the Future. Indigenous seeds are reintroduced to strengthen banks and improve water flow. In Alexandra, the Alexandra Water Warriors clean a three-kilometre stretch daily.
Litter traps have been transformed into public art using river-collected materials like tyres, tree trunks, cables and bricks. Semadi Manganye, co-founder of Alexandra Water Warriors, said: “With the cleaning of our environment, we saw how we can turn our trash into cash. We are converting waste into art, everything you see here has been collected from the river.”
The project fosters education in local schools, supports artists and aims to create a green walkable corridor for tourism. Pather noted improvements in waste reduction entering the river, while better river flow helps mitigate flooding in vulnerable areas like Alexandra. Manganye highlighted the collaborative model involving grassroots groups, government and private partners.