Residents clean up their areas
AS PART of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Thuma Mina campaign, activists at Brown’s Farm in Philippi, mostly ANC supporters, cleaned five sites where residents dump rubbish.
The cleaning campaign was also a drive to educate residents about the dangers associated with dumping rubbish on unsuitable sites including parks designated for children to play.
The cleaning activities were in wards 34, 33, 80 and 88 and would continue to other wards within the Philippi precinct.
The steering committee conducting the cleaning campaign said the initiative was one of many, and as part of Mandela Month, they planned to clean 67 sites to honour Struggle icon Nelson Mandela.
ANC Youth League secretary in ward 34 Thabisa Njwele said: “Our people dump dirt on the streets and it affects their children.
“This campaign is not only about removing rubbish but to educate residents about the dangers of dumping rubbish on the streets.
“It’s their children who will get sick. We have engaged with the municipality about arranging pick-up trucks, because residents say their excuse to dump illegally is because there are no waste bins.
“For people living in informal settlements, waste rubbish dumps must be provided by the municipality, that is not negotiable.
“We are also saying to our president (Ramaphosa) we have listened to your call to make a difference in our own communities instead of waiting for the government to do things for us.
“Nelson Mandela had a campaign, Masibambisane, President Thabo Mbeki’s campaign was Vukuzenzele and we are heading with Thuma Mina now.
“Our communities have to know that to see change they must do things themselves.”
Ward 34 councillor Fikiswa Nkunzana said: “The worst thing is that only one truck is serving this area of ward 34. The cleaning of dirt in parks should be an ongoing initiative.”
Volunteer Fanikhaya Ntsinde said he will continue with the Thuma Mina campaign. “By the look of things, change is coming and people can see that it is they who will make that change,” said Ntsinde.