A joint initiative between Buffalo City Metro and the national department of environmental affairs saw more than 400 volunteers roped in from different wards throughout the metro cleaning along four beaches, as part of the city’s coastal awareness campaign.
BCM portfolio head for community services Nontsikelelo Peter said the metro clean-up campaign was in its third day with the emphasis being on the city during the first two days, dealing with the huge piles of trash as a result of the South African Municipal Workers Union’s strike.
The Dispatch saw marshalls, and workers from BCM solid waste, partner with volunteers, some of which had been given ANC T-shirts, gather at Heroes Park early on Thursday.
“We started cleaning the city from Nando’s going up Oxford Street, in a bid to encourage everybody to do their part in supporting the municipality to keep the city clean,” said Peter.
“As part of the campaign, we also decided to extend our clean-up to the coastal areas where we want to raise awareness about cleanliness along the coast and the beautiful plants we have along our beaches which we use to beautify our city,” she said.
Peter said they had spread out their volunteers to Eastern, Nahoon, Bonza and Gonubie beaches to protect conservation areas as well as sea animals.
“Plastic flies into the sea, suffocating the animals and killing them and we want to put an end to that.”
BCM speaker Alfred Mtsi said the clean-up was strategic given the influx of holiday makers to the city’s beaches.
“While more people are coming into the city to boost tourism and enjoy themselves along our beaches, we need more hands to keep them clean and to raise awareness about keeping our beaches clean.
“We are also expecting potential business investors from China coming in tomorrow [Friday], but we continuously need to take pride in our city so potential investors can see the value and keep coming back,” he said.
BCM spokesman Samkelo Ngwenya said while the volunteers were collected in small buses from different points around the city, some were also part of the EPWP programme. Peter announced that after the clean-up the volunteers would be given lunch at the Orient Theatre.
Orange Grove resident Ntombekhaya Mbolekwa said they volunteered their services because they wanted to do their part to keep their city clean.
“This is my city and I want to see it clean. I’m hoping by doing my part, others will also roll up their sleeves and do their part to be part of the campaign,” she said.
Duncan Village resident Holiday Vabaza said he was unemployed and would rather contribute his time to a positive cause. “If I wasn’t here I’d be sitting at home anyway because I’m unemployed, so why not extend a hand when I have the time,” he said.
When asked about the political T- shirts distributed at the clean up, Ngwenya said they welcomed volunteers for the campaign regardless which political party the support was coming from.
However Ngwenya added: “The distribution of T-shirts and campaigning in government programmes is definitely not welcome.”..