Rasta champions the environment
Emmanuel 'Rasta' Dlomo is involved in the clean-up of Riverside Road, a task which he carries out diligently from Monday to Friday.
WITH his infectious smile and winning attitude, Emmanuel ‘Rasta’ Dlomo has won the hearts of many north Durban residents. Dlomo who has lived on the street for more than 10 years has called the riparian zone of the uMngeni River his home. Not deterred by his social situation, Dlomo is involved in the clean-up of Riverside Road, a task which he carries out diligently from Monday to Friday.
If you travel along the busy road on any day of the week, you are bound to see the 53-year-old who regularly cleans the trail and river islands.
He has bettered his life through the Umgeni Estuary Conservancy which pays Dlomo to help clear the area, not only of litter, but also of alien invasive plants.
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“I’m very grateful for the opportunity that Margaret Burger of the conservancy has given me. I’ve learned so much including the names of the alien invasive plants that I clear from the river’s edge and the pedestrian path. At the end of every week I take certain solid pollution such as fishing line to Margaret’s house where we try to make others aware of all the problems rubbish creates. People tend to dump everything in the river which is sad because it can hurt the wildlife. I’ve pulled out tyres, reams of paper and I see people are now dumping construction material as well.
“I must admit I enjoy what I do because I see the difference I make, however small it is. Because I’m alone, I focus on a different spot each day. I clean from just beyond the Mangroves all the way to Roadhouse Crescent. As a Rastafarian, human nature is very important to us and we should preserve and protect it. We have the utmost respect for nature, animals and the environment,” he said.
- If you wish to help to keep the uMngeni clean put your paper in the three Mpact igloos at Hypermarket by the Sea. These funds contributed to the stipends Emmanuel receives for his work on the river.
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