New year cleanup operations begin in earnest

New Year's Day celebrations have come and gone, and on Thursday Buffalo City Metro began cleanup operations after the festivities.

Spokesperson Samkelo Ngwenya said the metro had added staff from its Extended Public Works programme to assist  cleaning the beaches.

“We will be doing our best to collect all the litter on our beaches. Maintenance staff, marshals and all our teams are mopping up. We expect this weekend to be the last rush to the beaches and things will get back to normal after that,” Ngwenya said.

He said road closures that had been implemented from Tuesday would be discontinued.

However, BCM was monitoring the roads leading up to Ebuhlanti and the Esplanade, he said.

New Year's Day celebrations went on deep into the early morning on Wednesday, with a number of events drawing good crowds.

The sixth annual Count Down Music Festival, featuring artists Ami Faku, Thebe, Zintle Kwaaiman, Musa and Rethaabile, proved popular among partygoers at Buffalo City Stadium.

Event spokesperson Luyolo Beku said they were happy  the event was growing.

“We are in our sixth year, and the people of East London have been supporting us since we started,” he said, though adding there was room for improvement in the turnout.

Beku praised local artists for giving top-class performances.

At the Orient theatre, the fifth edition of the Sinqobile Gospel Music Festival did not disappoint, especially since it was headlined by gospel queen Rebecca Malope.

Other artists included Dwala Lam hitmaker, Veliswa Skeyi, multiple award winner Dumi Mkokstad, Lusanda Beja, Betusile Mcinga, Sbu Noah and Butho and Yolanda Vuthela.

Event organiser Mfezi Mveku was pleased with the turnout.

“We had a few hiccups in the past, with some of the artists pulling out at the last minute but people had faith in us and came in numbers this year. All the artists performed,” she said.

Mveku said the event was aimed at giving thanks to God and “also to ask for strength and wisdom for the new year”.

Malope told the Dispatch she was moved by how people responded to her performance.

“It is fulfilling to see the audience singing along to your songs,” she said.

Malope, who has just released her 36th album, Oh Lord You Are Good, said: “We are here to say thank you to the Lord and praise him for all his faithfulness. It is also to show people that celebrating is not only about alcohol or going to the beach, it is about coming together and saying glory be to God.”