Turning the mess into a message
“Spreading the word that people must come on board and make Pietermaritzburg great again.”
An environmental crusader, passionate about the derelict state of the city, is determined to turn the mess into a message.
Jan Hankey, formerly from England, and then Mauritius, and now very much a Pietermaritzburg resident, has embarked on a campaign to motivate citizens to become part of the solution, instead of being part of the problem.
Stretching the length of Town Bush Road from McCarthy
Drive to the taxi rank opposite Grey’s Hospital, Hankey has, for the past three years, maintained the area by picking up the litter, cutting the grass and providing bin bags for the disposal of the litter.
She has, at her own expense, employed workers to do the mowing and brush cutting and purchased the equipment and fuel required for this mammoth task. She has also provided uniforms for the workers. Initially, she estimated that it takes about a day for all the rubbish to be picked up, but the job was only completed after three months. Hundreds of bags of litter were collected during this time.
“We are choosing to make a difference. By doing this, we are spreading the word that people must come on board and make Pietermaritzburg great again. We need to get the original Pietermaritzburg back again.” said Hankey.
“We must instill a genuine love and concern for the city of Pietermaritzburg. We must also foster a genuine community spirit by establishing a ‘Pietermaritzburg Day’,” she added.
Not only is Hankey keeping Pietermaritzburg clean, she is also creating employment opportunities for the youth and keeping them of the streets and away from drugs.
Zodwa Khumalo, a concerned resident who became passionate about the environment through her early morning walks in her neighbourhood, endorsed the good work that Hankey is doing. “We must focus on the areas in which we reside. People in the neighbourhood must come on board,” she said.
She added that she has already reached out to people in Eastwood, Northdale and the Grange, and has a genuine love and concern for Pietermaritzburg.
Lara Edmonds, of the Athlone Residents and Ratepayers Association (ARRA), said that Hankey is a source of inspiration to fellow Maritzburgers. “This city needs leadership and inspiration. We have the role model right here in the form of Jan. If we all work together as a team, we will accomplish much,” said Edmonds.
Edmonds, who is spearheading the relaunch of Keep Pietermaritzburg Clean Association (KPCA), said we all need to collaborate and initiate campaigns like the anti-litter campaign. “We will start by getting companies involved in an ‘adopt a spot’ venture. We are relaunching KPCA, with the motto of keeping Pietermaritzburg clean, neat and green,” added Edmonds.
There will be a meeting soon to reconstitute the KPCA. Anyone interested in joining, or for more information, contact Lara Edmonds on 084 587 0880.