July 18, 2018 saw Hennops Blue celebrating a hundred years of Beloved Madiba’s life and legacy by joining forces with Life 4U Foundation https://life4ufoundation.yolasite.com/, the Department of Water Affairs, Clear Rivers Campaign http://www.dwa.gov.za/clear-River2017/ContactUs.aspx and Community Workers Programme http://www.cogta.gov.za/ to clean a river stream in Tembisa.
David Cochrane, director of Hennops Blue, wrote the following: "While were collecting litter from the stream in Tembisa a man came up to me and asked me if I was fishing. I started to talk to him and he told me that he is 70 years old and walks past the stream every morning on his was to and from gym. He asked me why we were collecting litter from the stream when it will all be back there tomorrow again. I told him that I hoped that the people will see the effort to clean the stream and stop littering and help clean it in the future. He said that he did not think that this will happen. So I suggested that he tells people not to throw the litter in the stream, but he asked why anyone would listen to him. Then he said he spends a lot of time with children, and they will listen to him. I know that he will spread the message. All that we can do is spread the message within our circle of influence. I am sure that his circle of influence is greater than what he let on.
He was right. We are fishing. We are fishing for the influence of the people we know, communities, businesses, municipalities, the government, to change the way we veiw our rivers and our environment and to stop the pollution. For us this is not a once-off event. We need to partner with and support social upliftment organisations like Life 4U in Tembisa. A key to rehabilitating the Hennops is to uplift the lives and living conditions of the people living on the tributaries to this river.’’
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