Turning SA’s litter problem into national pride

Imagine a country where the government sets aside R135 million to keep public toilets clean. Imagine a country where you can be fined R3 000 for a first offence for not flushing a public toilet.

Oh, to have those problems to deal with…

In Singapore, the island-state at the tip of Malaysia, the authorities are already tough on antisocial behaviour like littering and jaywalking and, as a result, everything is spick and span and the place runs like clockwork.

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Why is that relevant for South Africa? Because, as the old saying goes, cleanliness is next to godliness – and if South Africa and its citizens decided to start cleaning up the immediate areas around them, it could be the first step on the road to national reconstruction and even national pride.

If our government gets serious about dealing with waste and litter – and invests in cleansing and disposal services, as well as formulating stiff penalties for those who don’t care about making a mess – then we can begin to eliminate the eyesores which give the impression that we are a failed state.

We may not have the work ethic or the discipline of those in Singapore, but we need to start changing mindsets.