Citizens Assembly on Water Quality

The Citizens Assembly is a project of the Mvula Trust, in co-operation with Vaal Environmental Justice Alliance, the Northwest University, the wildlife and Environment Society of Southern Africa as well as number of other organisations. It is funded by France Liberties of the Danielle Mitterrand Foundation.
The Assembly will take place on the 25-27 October 2011, in Vanderbiljpark, Gauteng.
b The Citizens Assembly aims is to:

•  Bring together citizens who are actively involved in struggles for water quality.
• Create an atmosphere of solidarity, so that citizens groups can work together
• Understand current water quality issues and make resources available to encourage such understanding
• Understand what support is available to active citizens in the water quality arena.
• Create an opportunity for citizens and their organisations to design campaigns and working in Solidarity.
• Create space for citizens energy in catchment management.
• Deal, as citizens, with water quality issues.

Veja is proud to be part of the Citizens assembly, in the Vaal Triangle we faced with serious challenges of water pollution. Our river are already contaminated because of the failure of sewage treatment plants and mining companies discharging their untreated effluent in our rivers.  Veja want to increase awareness of the negative impacts and the harmful effects of contaminated water. Communities must be to empower to be able to monitor water quality in their different areas.

On the 25th October 2011, there will be tour to the water hot spot areas. Delegate outside Vaal Triangle will observe how water is contaminated and communities will share their experiences on water quality related struggles.