Vaal River reopens as invasive plants go

The Vaal River has officially reopened after local government and community groups worked for months to clear invasive plants in the water.

Water lettuce and hyacinth overran the Vaal River Barrage Reservoir late last year, Rand Water said yesterday about the iconic river that forms the border between Mpumalanga, Gauteng, and North West to the north and the Free State to the south.

The invasive species covered 398 hectares of the river, which reportedly crippled tourism.

Boat businesses stopped operating as the river was no longer navigable.