With no resources or project management experience, Sello Maluleka took on a self-motivated environmental initiative to address the severe pollution of the Apies River in Pretoria.
Pretoria, South Africa (22 September 2025) – Nature Conservation student Sello Maluleka has always been conscious of the environment’s well-being and how people can actively address challenges.
He’s been a dedicated member of the SANParks Honorary Rangers and involved in various initiatives tackling environmental issues. Recently, it was a river he passes nearly every day that inspired him to launch a project aimed at directly reducing the pollution pressures this river faces, from illegal dumping to chemical deposits.
“I didn’t know how to play my part in safeguarding this precious gem while also highlighting to the community that more than 70 per cent of the water we drink is supplied by the rivers we are polluting,” he shares.
In August, he saw a friend share about the We Are Nature Challenge, an initiative facilitated by WESSA and UNEP, which provides young people in conservation, environmental, and agricultural fields a platform to showcase their contributions to solving biodiversity-related issues.
The challenge took the participants through a series of activities, and one of the final tasks was to plan an environmental activity, such as a workshop addressing a particular problem.
“That’s when I saw the opportunity to make a difference, and I remembered the Apies River that is currently drowning in pollution.
“With zero resources other than my cell phone to spread the word, no background in project management, I started approaching stakeholders.”
Sello faced initial setbacks when stakeholders withdrew their support from his voluntary initiative. Undeterred, he found new partners in Environmental Warriors, the Department of Water and Sanitation, WESSA, and the Tshwane University of Technology
The Apies River Cleanup took place last month – an event Sello describes as a success that led him to win the youth leader award in the We Are Nature Challenge.
Related Story
“The initial goal was to make it a once-off thing, but that changed when I saw the impact of the event and the pictures of the river after cleaning. That’s when I decided to make it a long-term project together with Environmental Warriors,” he says.
Sello was also approached by the co-founder of the South African Youth Biodiversity Network to collaborate on the river-cleanup project, since they also run similar projects in Limpopo and Mpumalanga, and were looking to expand to Gauteng.
“I hope that the project will yield good results, especially for our river systems, since the target will not only be the Apies River, but other rivers will be adopted as we move forward.”
This environmental champion will be hosting another clean-up at Apies River on 24 September, where more youth, organisations and stewards of the environment are invited to get involved.
To attend or support this initiative, email Sello at sellomaluleka10@gmail.com
Sources: Nothando Mthembu | Sello Maluleka
Don’t ever miss the Good Things. Download the Good Things Guy App now on Apple or Google.
Do you have something to add to this story? Please share it in the comments or follow GoodThingsGuy on Facebook & Twitter to keep up to date with good news as it happens, or share your good news with us by clicking here or click the link below to listen to the Good Things Guy Podcast with Brent Lindeque – South Africa’s very own Good Things Guy. He’s on a mission to change what the world pays attention to, and he truly believes there’s good news around us. In the Good Things Guy podcast, you’ll meet these everyday heroes & hear their incredible stories:
Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.
by 