Inner city stakeholders pledge to shore up war on waste
Everyone needs to roll up their sleeves and do their bit to keep Johannesburg clean.
MMC for Environment and Infrastructure Services Department, Michael Sun, launched a War on Waste campaign in the inner city at Sky Rink Studios in Marshalltown on December 2.
This City of Johannesburg campaign is aimed at eradicating illegal dumping, littering and general grime and dirt in the inner city. The city has partnered with stakeholders who have all pledged their commitment to joining the war to give the city an overhaul.
Sun was joined by various inner city stakeholders and businesses such as Transnet, Santaco, Carlton Centre businesses, Gandhi business owners such as Spar, security companies, colleges and early childhood centres as well as Region F director Irene Mafune, Pikitup MD Bukelwa Njingolo and Ward 60 Clr Sihle Nguse.
“The city’s waste management entity, Pikitup, spends over R80m a year on illegal dumping. That money can be used to make this environment much better. Last week we launched 41 tipper trucks to deal with illegal dumping across the city,” said Sun.
The campaign will result in a focused approach to cleaning the inner city.
“Starting in January 2023, Pikitup will be allocated 60 JMPD officers who will work closely with the entity to enforce waste bylaws and issue fines to offenders for littering and illegal dumping,” he said.
Njingolo said bins in the inner city get full every hour because of the volume of people and Pikitup continuously conducts waste removal. “We have a 24-hour waste collection schedule in the inner city, made up of three shifts,” she said.
Oscar Tyumre, the station manager at Mzansi Joburg City FM, said: “Our station is directly affected by the waste issue and keeping our environment clean is a responsibility for all of us. We are losing sponsors as most businesses are moving out of the inner city because of the deteriorating situation.”
Veli Qwabe, a business owner at Gandhi Square precinct, said: “We are fully committed to working closely with the city and it is beautiful to see stakeholders combining their efforts.”
Most stakeholders agreed that this is the beginning of a continued collaboration and are committed to supporting the initiative and will do their best in assisting the city.
