Community initiative restores Alberton to its former glory
An Alberton manufacturing and distribution company has heeded to Mayor Ald. Tania Campbell’s invite of assisting in maintaining the current infrastructure.
Fill a pothole before it becomes a pool.
That is the message from a local manufacturing and distribution company, which has taken it upon itself to restore Alberton to its former state.
This is after the company commenced its community initiative by repairing potholes in a busy road in South Crest on October 23 on old Voortrekker Road. The project kicked off this weekend and a large number of potholes have been repaired.
They heeded the call of Mayor Tania Campbell when she addressed the community and business owners in Alberton to assist in maintaining the community’s infrastructure.
Speaking for the company, Annalie Marwing, said as an Alberton business they utilise the roads in and around the city daily.
“We have to realise that if we as business owners, employees and residents fail to initiate and implement solutions to resolve the problems we face in and around our immediate vicinity, then it’s going to take a very long time before any results are accomplished,” she said.
Uplifting the community
Marwing said they find this deterioration of infrastructure getting worse each day.
“We cannot sit back and voice our frustrations, anger and emotions over social media yet take no physical steps in improving the environment we live in. This also has a tremendous effect on the well-being of a person and people in a community as a whole,” she explained.
As a manufacturing and distribution company, she said they have a fleet of vehicles on the road and as a result, the costs of repairing rims, tyres, and suspension parts among others have escalated.
They have since decided to take it upon themselves to fix the problem rather than ‘having these exorbitant added expenses’.
“With the same cost of replacing a single tyre on an average motor vehicle, we can repair several potholes. Clr Tim Denny has been approached in conjunction with the Roads Department and we were approved to repair the potholes. Safety measures are in place when work is being carried out,” said Marwing.
They have also initiated the process of cleaning up the streets, cutting grass at the entrance of Alberton and painting some of the walls and rock faces in Alberton North that were smeared with graffiti.
A little goes a long way
According to Marwing, they have set up a WhatsApp line and have a team in place to carry out repair work.
“Unfortunately all of this costs money, and we urge residents and business owners to contribute to this amazing community initiative to restore Alberton to its former glory. Every little bit counts. To contribute contact us via WhatsApp on 081 496 1673,” she said.
“We will also be contacting businesses in and around Alberton to contribute towards repairs, cleaning and maintaining infrastructure in their immediate vicinity, so we can all benefit from a better, healthier, uplifted and more positive environment,” she said.
Denny thanked Rui Gouveia and his team for being so proactive and urged all companies in the community to follow suit.
