Tiny biocontrol insects, released by the Centre for Biological Control, are preventing flowering and suppressing growth — a long-term solution to South Africa’s most problematic aquatic invasive plant
Without biocontrol, Hartbeespoort Dam could be 70% covered in superweed
This was achieved through a partnership involving the Vaal community, Rand Water, Rhodes University’s Centre for Biological Control, the water and sanitation department and the department of forestry, fisheries and the environment
But more research, development and innovation, as well as investment is needed
The tiny planthoppers are biological control agents and natural enemies of the world’s worst aquatic weed
If allowed to pass the Vaal River Barrage, the plant has access to a journey of about 1 000km of the middle and lower Vaal river, the Bloemhof Dam and then into the Orange river
The nutrient enrichment problem can’t be solved unless appropriate levels of wastewater treatment are applied
Biological control is effective but the real solution would be to fix wastewater treatment plants in Joburg and Pretoria and stop sewage spills
Green Devil and Purple Monster gins are made by resident at the water’s edge using the otherwise-unwanted superweed
With La Niña bringing much-needed rain, it is inexcusable that South Africans do not have access to their most basic human need: water
Tiny bugs – water hyacinth planthoppers – have reduced the coverage of an invasive superweed to below 5%
The coverage of the invasive superweed has been reduced to 12.5% from 40% in February
About 300 000 planthoppers have been released on Hartbeespoort Dam to control the green horror
Poorly treated wastewater in Tshwane is to blame for the water hyacinth and cyanobacteria colonies