Newlands Community Patrol (NCP) group responded to Pikitup’s call for assistance and helped private contractors collect bins on the evening of 28 March in the area.
Members of the patrol group escorted the workers from 5pm until 1am, protecting them from possible intimidation.
Newlands Community Patrol Group chairperson Gerda Lourens said they spent nine hours guarding and assisting the workers. “We did what we could with the resources available and I would like to thank the five workers from Pikitup that were involved, including the NCP team of patrollers for their dedication in this regard,” she explained.
According to her, they persisted until the early hours of the morning as they strove to collect the rubbish throughout the suburb.
Lourens also insisted that the bin-collection times and routes were given to the residents in advance. It was done to encourage residents to put out their bins as requested.
She also thanked Sophiatown Police who also helped with a clean-up in the area and worked until early hours of 29 March.
She insisted that community members should start communicating regularly with their neighbours and get to know them in order to work together. Illegal dumping on corner Waterfall Road and 10th Street was a critical problem in the suburb.
“I would like to encourage each Newlands’ community member to put the effort and assist in times of need where there is a willingness from entities in these times. By standing together we can and we will achieve our goals,” she concluded.
Details: Newlands Community Patrol (NCP), 083 284 3404.
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