It’s been almost a month since the official launch of the Municipality’s Clean My City Programme and already the impact has been felt on the ground. The public, together with the business community have taken the initiative to clean their areas, inspired by the call from Mayor, James Nxumalo who said, “Its your city, it starts with you!”
Businesses have heeded the call with recent cleanups being held by retail giant Woolworths as well as the South African Post office. Both cleanup operations were met with the same enthusiasm- they are taking responsibility for their City.
Last year, the City and Transnet National Ports Authority held a successful environmental awareness day and clean-up campaign at the Bayhead Natural Heritage Site.
Lush with plants, birds and crab species, the team undertook to rid the area of litter to protect the ecosystem.
Communities, with the support of Councillors have come out in full force to endorse and support the programme.
Clean up campaigns have been initiated by citizens in the following areas:
- Hillcrest
- Ntuzuma
- KwaMashu
- Beach Cleanups
- KwaDabeka
- Hammarsdale Taxi rank
- Wentworth/Austerville
City Manager, Sibusiso Sithole said this is admirable and commendable to see a positive response from the citizens and business community. “We encourage everyone to initiate clean-ups in their areas during the weekends. Charity begins at home, let’s continue to make strides and clean our City, this is our City,” said Sithole.
The Clean My City roll out plan identified the priority stakeholders for the first phase of the rollout as : informal trade, schools , public transport – taxi ranks, train stations and bus ranks , formal trade – food outlets /hotels and hospitality, shopping malls, places of worship and visitors. The objective of the programme, besides keeping the City clean and well maintained, is for all living, working and shopping in the City to become ambassadors of the programme.
All four regions of informal trader associations have been engaged through presentations and dialogue with a reach of 5000 members.The programme was well received and pledges of support were received. This is culminating in an Imbizo today (02 April 2014) where the Clean and Maintain My City competition will be launched at the Pinetown Civic Centre.
Forty-two participating schools in the DSW environmental outreach programme have been reached and addressed through presentations. Ten out of these have requested individual and direct engagement with their learners and teachers. Over 50 individual teachers have been reached and addressed through presentations and dialogue.
Presentations and engagements have been arranged with formal trade and property developers through the Durban Chamber of Commerce for the months of May and June.
Municipal entities have also been targeted for partnerships. To date uShaka Marine World is already on board. Brochures are currently displayed on their stands ahead of the busy school holidays.
The programme is now able to reach beyond the borders of KwaZulu Natal through the Durban Tourism office with the Durban Keeps Jozi Warm event to be held in Johannesburg.
Public responses have also been very positive with the Municipality’s Facebook and Twitter pages abuzz with activity. Here are some of the comments:
Nolwandle Ne Zulu: We worked with Senzwesihle Primary and the KwaMashu C section community doing clean ups. At the rate we’re going, certainly, the Mayor’s vision of making eThekwini Africa’s most liveable city will be achieved sooner than we expected!
Senzo Chico Mashoba: Thank you for cleaning Durban especially my part of the city, Albert Park. I would also like you to extend the campaign by inviting private companies such as ours to participate in such positive activities.
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