Randfonteiners making a difference

• Joy Hamann writes:

Only a handful of people braved the cold early morning weather on Saturday, 1 June to participate in the Randfontein Herald’s #HelpOurTownShineAgain clean-up campaign in Greenhills. But, we all tackled Northway Road and sections of Homestead Avenue with fervour before we were joined by the management and staff of Pest Control when we reached the second half of Homestead Avenue. All in all, we managed to fill approximately 60 black bags of litter.

Because of the lack of manpower, we ran out of time and were unable to get to all the areas as planned. However, we are extremely grateful to the following people who took the time to make a difference:

· Mulalo Sigeda from the Rand West City Local Municipality ’s (RWCLM) Waste Management Department, who organised a municipal truck to collect bags and also donated 200 black bags. Mulalo also helped pick up litter.

· Segomotso Makata from RWCLM’s Department of Environmental Affairs, who also got stuck in and helped clean up.

· Deidre Coetzee (also a RWCLM employee), her daughter Leonie, and grandchildren Luan and Zané Nortje.

· Stefan and Elize Venter, together with Spot on Garden Services staff members Welkom Mjapha and Jimmy Sebese. Spot On Garden Services also sponsored bottled water and black bags.

· Sybil Viljoen from Afriforum. Sybil is in her 70s and extremely energetic!

· Thato Sibanda from Mohlakeng who once again joined in with the clean-up.

· RPA Director, Andre Rossouw, from Total Garage who despite a very sore back got stuck in and helped. One of Andre’s staff members, Reginald Toko, also helped pick up litter.

· Pest Control management and staff who donated bottled water and also assisted in Homestead Avenue.

· Truter Crous and Wiggill who donated black bags, bottled water and rubber gloves.

· And of course last, but not least, Randfontein Herald’s editor Clinton Botha, who was the leader of the pack, and photographer Tumi Riba, who made sure he had photographic evidence we were doing what we said we would do.

A special thanks to Helikon Park resident, Charne Henley, who has taken it upon herself to keep the area in front of Randfontein Bird Park, close to her house, free from litter.

Randfontein residents who want to report illegal dumping etc. can contact me on joy@randfonteininfo.co.za or send me a WhatsApp message on 082 852 1860. I will make sure the relevant people receive the information.

If we all do a little every day in the fight against the terrible litter and illegal dumping problem, it can make a difference.