If the clean-up campaign A Re Sebetseng can work, which the City of Johannesburg believes it is, there is more that can be achieved.
This is what Executive Mayor Herman Mashaba believes and said although changing mindsets would not happen overnight, it would occur in the long run.
It can be especially difficult in poor communities because people have been taught to be dependent on government, Mashaba added.
But the mayor hopes that in 18 to 24 months, he will see parents and children picking up litter around them.
“I am a strong believer in personal responsibility and that is what this programme should ultimately achieve,” he said.
It was not just about cleanliness, he added, but also about encouraging civil society to be active.
“I would love to one day be able to ask doctors to volunteer a bit of time at municipal clinics.”
The A Re Sebetseng schools project is also attempting to build a strong foundation so that children did not inherit the same South Africa the mayor said he inherited.
“We want to teach children to take care of their environment. They are the future of the country and should believe in themselves. This is what A Re Sebetesng is also about – self-pride.”
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