Cleaning up our rivers this Spruit Day
FOURWAYS – Volunteers showed up with their gloves and plastic refuse bags to remove the litter from the Jukskei River and its surrounds.
Fourways volunteers came out in their numbers to be part of Spruit Day 2017, with a number of Spruit Day cleanups happening around the area on 16 September.
One such cleanup was jointly organised by the Lonehill Residents Association, the Greater Kyalami Conservancy (Gekco) and Future City Fourways and aimed to clean up the section of the Jukskei River which runs between Main Road and William Nicol Drive in Lonehill.
“Spruit Day was initially aimed at tackling environmental issues along the Braamfontein Spruit, but in recent years has been expanded to include the rest of Joburg too,” said Kristin Kallesen, chairperson of Gekco and one of the day’s organisers. “There are about 25 residents’ associations hosting their own Spruit Days across the city today.”
Volunteers showed up with their gloves and plastic refuse bags to remove the litter from the Jukskei River and its surrounds. Also present were members of the Midrand Sector 4 Community Policing Forum and Metro police, and local ward councillors including David Foley of Ward 94 and Ward 93’s Candice James.
The cleanup didn’t come a moment too soon, either. “If you take a look at the river, you’ll notice the water is a sort of orange colour,” Kallesen said to attendees before the work began. “It wasn’t like that earlier in the week, we think that on about Thursday there must have been something chemical dumped into the water further upstream.”
Jean Berdou, chairperson for Future City Fourways said, “Spruit Day had been growing every year. Over 35 resident associations joined forces, Chartwell, Klein Jukskei Greenbelt Initiative, Dainfern, Helderfontein, Glenferness, Kylami, Future City Fourways and Lonehill Residents Association joined forces to do battle with the litter and pollution on both sides of the Jukskei River.”
He added that nearly 200 participants rolled up their sleeves and helped make a huge difference in the area.
“Besides the amazing work they did it was truly pleasing to see all the different residents’ groups working together and more of these projects are planned. Well done to Spruit Day leadership and to all involved. Half a ten-ton truck [of litter] was gathered.”
In another cleanup along the banks of the Braamfontein Spruit at the end of Achter Road in Paulshof, the Paulshof Residents and Ratepayers Association and Sunninghill Community joined efforts to clean the spruit’s banks.
James said, “Spruit Day 2017 was another proud moment for me and I am sure for the residents who took part. Spending time on our rivers is something we don’t get to do often and we take for granted how beautiful our city is.”
James added that there had been a major improvement in the amount of litter since last year, but sadly, there was still a lot of rubbish found in the rivers and on the banks.
“What this day has proved is that if we all help a little the result [can be] massive.” James thanked everyone who was involved.
Kerry Mawson of Rawson Properties Paulshof and Sunninghill, sponsor of the Braamfontein Spruit cleanup, was proud to announce that a small group of people managed to fill about 130 to 140 bags of litter on the day. Also, plastic bottle tops and bread tags were collected for the www.sweetheartsfoundation.org who recycle them in exchange for wheelchairs.
“In 2016, we donated two wheelchairs to underprivileged children,” said Mawson.
Mawson thanked James and Banele Yabo of City Parks who organised the bags of litter to be collected and disposed of.
Did you roll up your sleeves and take part in Spruit Day? Email your photos to us fourwaysr@caxton.co.za
