Operation Clean Bridge a huge success
FOURWAYS – After weeks of planning, Future City Fourways (FCF), together with the South African Police Services, Metro police, Johannesburg Emergency Services, and various other stakeholders, undertook a massive task of cleaning up the Witkoppen Bridge and the section of William Nicol Drive which runs under the bridge.
FCF is a registered non-profit organisation which is community funded and provides private street cleaning and area maintenance.
Susan Mottram, a member of FCF said, “The turnout was amazing! [The project] took hours to put together, but it was all well worth it.”
The operation which involved about 500 people, lasted four hours and saw specialised cleaning teams equipped with chainsaws and other heavy equipment, supported by hundreds of volunteers, clearing huge areas of thick vegetation adjacent to and on the bridge, as well as the removing of posters off the walls.
Hundreds of cars were stopped and searched, including a large number of taxis. Traffic citations were issued for a wide variety of offences and a large number of checks for illegal firearms, drugs and wanted persons were also carried out.
The cleaned areas were then hosed down and donated chemicals applied by the fire services.
Various specialist rescue teams abseiled down the sides of the bridge where a huge quantity of overgrown vegetation was cut down, while Montecasino cleared a large area of grass and weeds adjacent to the bridge on its bird garden side.
All volunteers were fed and hydrated throughout the operation by generous sponsors.
Jean Berdou, founder of FCF said, “It is an honour to serve our community and to see the huge growth in support and awareness for what Future City Fourways is doing for the benefit of the greater Fourways community. A community in unity is defeating crime and grime.”
