Oupa Fats WetLenz Park

12/11/2023

Wishing you and your Loved ones a Joyful & Blessed Eco Mindful Diwali ... may your collective light illuminate our ailing World with hope & harmony once again...🙏🕉️

01/06/2023

Good Glorious Gracious Gratefull Greetings Eco Champions...

Lenzvlei or Klipriviersoog aka Oupa Fats Wetland situated smack bang in the middle of the South Western Townships as part of the then apartheid government's strategy fo divide Blacks in the northern periphery of the Dam, coloureds on the Eastern periphery , Indians on the South & whites on the west. Instead of dividing us it served to unite Blacks, Indians & Coloureds as it served as a meeting placefor these communities especially political activists. Recent flooding at the Wetland has now prompted the need for these communities to once again come together & unite in their efforts to save this Wetland.

New hope to Reclaim, Revive & Restore Oupa Fats Wetland ... A Journey of hope & desperation which spanned a a period of more than 25+ years of dedicated activism & effort driven by a passion to prevent by far the most important ecological resource in our midst from becoming a Wasteland. Alas a few months ago our worst fears were realised when this Wetland flooded its banks & caused havoc particularly for residents in Ext 1, Lenasia living closest to the Wetland. The destruction & damage caused was massive & most are still trying to recover from this devastating event.
This Eco Activist & Wetland Champion of 25+ years even threw his hands up in resignation & all but gave up on ever being able to achieve what now seemed like mission impossible.
Alas & gratefully so, a meeting yesterday at the Wetland of some residents of Mosquito Valley & a cavalry of relevant role players, initiated by local resident Saadia, injected new hope & inspiration to what was seemingly a lost cause.

A huge shout-out to all those who attended this meeting:
1. @⁨YEA Saadia Mosquito Valley Wetland Activist⁩ a resident of Mosquito Valley who initiated & organised the meeting, other residents especially Shushila who highlighted the plight & dilemma experienced by this community as a result of the flooding.

2. Ex Councillor @⁨AKF Zarina Motala Action For Accountability Organiser Lenasia⁩ .. who has actively, tirelessly & consistently supported the Save Oupa Fats campaign & for her informed, first hand account of the dire situation at Oupa Fats Wetland, interventions & proposed actions needed.
3. Cllr Nofomela for her selfless efforts in assisting the surrounding communities & engaging the relevant departments since the flooding happened & her commitment to be at the forefront of this battle.

3. My compatriot, comrade & die hard co Eco-Warrior & Wetland Activist Denin Naidoo from COJ - Aquatics who has walked this Journey with me & other Wetland activists for the last 25 years.... Always remembering & appreciating the efforts of Team Oupa Fats WetLenz Park: Muriel Moonsammy , Osler Luke Peters, Zaheeda Haffejee, Fatima Jardine, Safiyah Fanoo, Ziyaad Fanoo, Asgar Vahed, Riaz Ajam, Uzendt D Pillay, Keith Pienaar Yunus Dawood, Paresh Maharaj, Aashia Saloojee Zarina Motala & many others who fought this noble battle voluntarily.

4. Officials from City Parks who are taking up the challenge of helping us tackle this enormous challenge.

5. Last but not least .. a special welcome to @⁨Dam-it Marc Liebenberg Reed Removal⁩ whose NGO & their expertise will provide the much needed capabilities to tackle this mammoth task effectively, decisively & permanently.

All present pledged their support to ensure that we once again commit ourselves to reclaim this legacy for the sake of our children not only of Lenasia but also the children of Soweto , Midway, Protea Glen, Eldorado Park, Klipspruit West, Nancefield, Westonaria & even the informal settlements in the immediate vicinity of this Wetland who benefit tremendously from the presence of this wetland.

More details to follow...

As an immediate plan of action we are planning to form a human chain on Abu Asvat drive to highlight the plight of this Wetland & impress upon the authorities the urgency of intervening to prevent future flooding as a start (Details to follow)

Yoonus Mitha 🦉
0827975181
Oupa Fats Wetlenz Park
Youth Eco Activists Network
P.S.
Placard ideas:
Oupa Fats Wetland NEEDS YOU !!!
Soweto, Lenasia, Eldorado Park Klipsruit Unite to save our Wetland !!! Unity in Diversity & Adversity !!!
We are all in this together !!!

19/11/2022

Once upon a time at Oupa Fats Wetland when Eco Warriors like Keith Pienaar frequented this Wonderland & enjoyed its captivating beauty ... This was during a time of enormous hope when a group of intrepid eco warriors stepped up to the challenge of Saving this Wetland... Albeit for a short period of 2 years but Team Oupa Fats Wetlenz showed us what is possible when desire, dedication & will come together...
Salute Eco Champions & Eco Warriors:
Yoonus Mitha , Muriel Moonsammy , Denin Naidoo, Uzendt D Pillay , Osler Luke Peters, Mr & Mrs Fathima Haffejee, Riaz Ajam, Elton Dawood, Safiyah & Ziyaad Fanoo, Fatima Jardean, Aashia Saloojee , Paresh Maharaj , Dr. Anita Khoosal and so many more ... your inspired efforts will always be appreciated 🤗👊✊

Sadly this Wonderland has become a Wasteland and is currently in ICU awaiting to be resuscitated by a New Group of Eco Warriors willing to take up the challenge to Reclaim, Revive & Restore Oupa Fats Wetland to it's former pristine glory 🤞💚

06/11/2021

A Fond, Hopeful and inspiring memory of by far the most significant effort to Reclaim, Revive & Restore our precious Eco Resource , Oupa Fats Wetland a few years ago by Team Oupa Fats Wetlenz:

Since, the advent of the pandemic nothing and I mean nothing has been done to pursue this cause if Saving this Wetland which is currently in I.C.U.

Today we are revisiting this battle... Please join us for a meeting with residents of Mosquito Valley (ward 10) who are in the frontline of the dilemma unfolding at this Wetland in danger of becoming a wasteland

Amended Meeting Notice:
Green Greetings & Salutations Eco Friends & Champs...🐬

Meeting Announcement:
Date: Saturday 6/11/21
Time: 11h00
At Heathcock Entrance to Oupa Fats Wetland.

The purpose of the meeting will be:
1. To address a concern of local residents Raised By Mrs Fatima Ahmed to "fence" off the area for security & other reasons.
2. To assist Mr Lehlohonolo Sedie a philanthropist & entrepreneur who is keen on fencing the area & embarking on a farming project in the area.
3. To address the Flooding problem of the Entrance Road into Oupa Fats & also the Flooding in Heathcock Ave.
Also to receive more rubble from the Kolia family to start fixing the road & the flooding problem at the entrance.

Please do get involved and be part of the solution.
Thank You
Yuni ēCō Activist
YEA Network 🦉
082 797 5181

P.S.
For some reason I am unable to tag people on this post.. please do tag yourself and any other person's whom you know have been involved with this essential cause or would like to get involved with being part of the solution... Thank You ✊

08/10/2020

Help the campaign to Save Oupa Fats Wetland situated in the middle of the 4 largest racially divided Townships in Gauteng, created at the time of the promulgation of the group areas act in 1961... Soweto For "Blacks" in the North, Lenasia for "Indians" in the South, Westonaria for "Whites" in the west & Eldorado Park for "Coloureds" in the East of this Wetland which is & has been in danger (for 25+ years) of becoming a Wasteland due to wanton illegal mining of Eco sensitive soil, illegal fishing with large nets, unscrupulous dumping, burning of stolen electricity cables & now land invasion encroaching on the perimeter of the Wetland.

Nonetheless, on a more hopeful yet desperate note... An intervention of a few years ago in the form of a petition is worth revisiting ...

If ever you wanted an opportunity to make a difference which will improve the World you live in...
🌈⛅💧To help purify & preserve the very Air you breathe & the Water you drink...
🐢🐇🐥🐒🐟🐞🐝🐌To provide a healthy home for all our bio- diverse friends who share this beautiful planet with us...

Then... all you need to do is take a few minutes & sign the petition below which simply asks that an eco-Wonderland situated in Lenasia, which we fondly refer to as Oupa Fats Wetland be transferred from National Housing to City Parks as a matter of urgency... This simple action will ensure that a budget will be allocated to maintaining this pristine Wetland & help return it to its former glory & function.... for the benefit of All. ... 👌✊✌✋☝👍

Oupa Fats Wetland is strategically situated in the middle of the South Western Townships, 30km from Johannesburg. (Soweto on the North, Eldorado Park / Klipspruit on the East, Lenasia on the South and Zuurbekom on the West). Wetlands are an important ecological resource, equivalent to a rainforest.....