VOLUNTEERS from all over the community met at the Nqweba Dam with one goal in mind – to rid the dam of thousands of dead, decaying fish.
A total of 612 volunteers, half of whom were from the South African Police Services Academy, worked under the scorching sun to ensure that, once the summer rains had come, the dam water would not be unnecessarily polluted by dead fish carcasses.
Dressed in old clothes and shoes, and armed with gloves and face masks, helpers managed to collect a whopping 36 625 fish.
In addition to the carcasses, bags full of litter were also collected, and a team from the Beyers Naudé Local Municipality disposed of them all.
According to Rosemary Scheepers, conservation officer at the Camdeboo National Park, CWP workers will continue clean-up operations this week.
“We would like to express our sincere appreciation to all who pitched up to help; we would not have been able to achieve what we did without their help,” said Scheepers.
Graaff-Reinet photographer, Charlene Prinsloo of Prinsloo Photography, captured the essence of the day through the lens of her camera, and wrote a touching post on her Facebook page, which Komani-Karoo Express shares here with Charlene’s permission:
“I could not help but feel overwhelmed looking at the fish and just feeling how absolutely devastating it must have been for them.
I know people say ‘its fish – they don’t feel and have even less of a brain,’ but really seeing them – and so many of them curled up with their mouths to the sky seemingly looking like a last cry for help… it really pulls at one’s heart. How many more animals are out there in this drought calling out in desperation!
Then, looking back at the crowd of Graaff-Reineters that joined in to clean up the dam, you cannot help but feel proud of this community.
They did such a great job! It was hard, hot, stinky, but there was laughter, giggles, every now and then a little scream. Most of the fish got picked up in record time. I could not believe how quick the truck got filled, and this not even halfway through the day!
Thank you to Assembly Church for initiating this; we are so proud to be part of such a great team!”
