About 4,333m³ of Alien Invasive Plants (AIP) were removed in the Vaal, between October 2024 and June 2025.
In addition, invasive aquatic plants which covered about 414 hectares, last April 2024, now maintain a cover less than 10-hectares.
Rand Water said this is thanks to its integrated strategy with with various stakeholders -including the Centre for Biological Control – (CBC) and the Vaal community.
Its integrated strategy is to manually remove the plants, use herbicide in certain areas and biological control methods.
Thus far, some 720,500 biocontrol agents were introduced by the water entity and partner in the project- the Vaal-Orange Catchment Management Agency.
The Department of Water and Sanitation appointed Rand Water to remove water lettuce and hyacinth, in the Vaal River.
Picture: Supplied