Clean-up initiative for litter-plagued road
The metro, business and NGOs have pledged to work together to solve the illegal dumping crisis that has continually plagued Sheya Kulati Drive in New Brighton.
Fencing off the area and planting low-maintenance trees were just some of the plans announced yesterday when Nelson Mandela Bay mayor Eugene Johnson and the metro’s partners visited Sheya Kulati on the third of a five-day cleanup drive.
Johnson said it was a historic day in the metro as all stakeholders were committing to work together towards sustainable solutions to tackle illegal dumping in the city.
“Illegal dumping has reached a crisis level, posing a health risk to the public, especially our children.
“The culprits who have been caught in the act include both members of the public and private manufacturing and construction companies.
“Most of us want the same thing for our city, we want to live in a clean environment that will attract businesses and investment that will see us prosper,” she said.
Partners of the campaign include Continental, Isuzu SA, Ford SA, recycling business The Waste Trade Company, Timber Solutions, the Mandela Bay Development (MBDA) Agency as well as the department of economic development, environmental affairs and tourism and department of forestry, fisheries and environment.
To start, residents were asked to pledge against illegal dumping.
The MBDA pledged to fence off the area and donate waste skips and containers, while the department of economic development, environmental affairs and tourism pledged to plant drought-resistant trees.
The department of forestry, fisheries and environment aims to clean up other illegal dumping sites and Isuzu will run education campaigns.
MBDA operations executive Debbie Hendricks said they would also build ramps for cars to drive in and drop the waste off.
“We are looking at plans to beautify this area, possibly the construction of a soccer field or a garden to show that this space can be useful and should not be desecrated by illegal dumping,” Hendricks said.
Continental managing director Martin Buday said the company had opted to partner as it was committed to being a responsible manufacturer and employer.