Disabled man cleans his street from his wheelchair
John Martin is a familiar sight on the streets of Korsten, Gqeberha, moving along in his wheelchair, collecting the rubbish left by others. Martin (65) lives at his cousin’s house with the son of a friend, Shiloh Felix (13). They are often seen in Korsten as they go around picking up rubbish in Malan Street.
The pair put the rubbish in plastic bags and take it to the municipal collection point.
Martin’s back was injured during a game with a friend in a park when he was 14. “I grew up with the injury but I managed to work as a driver. The injury only became serious 10 years ago; that’s when I became disabled,” said Martin.
He wants to motivate able-bodied people to do what he does and clean their streets. When Felix is at school, Martin goes around alone.
“The rubbish ends up polluting surrounding streets, while plastics and solid objects choke manholes, resulting in sewer blockages. Something needs to be done because the situation is getting out of hand.”
Felix, who is in Grade 7, said Martin was teaching him to
‘be responsible in life’
“I grew up in Malan Street. The place used to be very clean.”
Martin says Korsten has grown over the past 1o years, with many shops opening. Residents and shop owners put their garbage in nearby Durban Road for collection by the municipal refuse truck – but much of it blows into other streets.
Martin buys the plastic bags he uses to collect rubbish with money from his pensioner’s grant. He said he wants Felix to follow in his footsteps and continue cleaning their street.
Felix, who is in Grade 7, said Martin was teaching him to “be responsible in life”.
“I am glad to move around with Martin,” he said.
Ward councillor Graham Gelderbloem said: “The municipal truck cleans the area three times a day but more rubbish keeps getting dumped. There is a need to change people’s mindsets.”
“I wish I could get funding so that unemployed people could open recycling businesses, because there is a lot of waste that could be utilised by residents,” Gelderbloem said. GroundUp/