Over 100 youths clean up Raslouw
This clean-up was carried out at the request of Tshwane Mayor, Cilliers Brink’s office.
This past weekend, 110 young members of a church group took part in a clean-up on Lochner Road, Centurion along with the Tshwane metro.
The young churchgoers form part of the Save the Earth from A to Z (ASEZ) University Student Volunteer Group of the World Mission Society Church of God.
The group included TUT students, who took part in clean-ups on July 28 in Pretoria and Johannesburg.
This clean-up was carried out at the request of the office of Mayor Cilliers Brink.
The group and the metro signed an agreement for the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals last year.
They implement these goals through volunteer service programmes and co-operative activities, of which the Lochner Road clean-up is one.
The metro assisted by providing garbage bags and cleaning tools to the volunteers to clean up the area that was dirty due to illegal dumping.
The rubbish collected by volunteers on this day was so much that the refuse bags ran out and the city had to make plans to supply more.
“Cities are important places where families and neighbours can live, communicate, and harmonise. We hope that a sustainable and safe urban environment will be created so that everyone can live a healthy and happy life,” said volunteer, Moses Ntuli.
MMC of Utilities, Themba Fosi, attended and expressed his gratitude, saying, “I’m impressed with the presentations given to me of what has been happening for the past years that you guys have been involved. You are doing a stellar job. We also appreciate you as government that you are trying to assist us where we are falling short and it is you that gives us the motivation. You are the VIPs.”
For all its efforts, the ASEZ team received certificates of appreciation from stakeholders such as the mayor and council members from Tshwane, Cape Town, and Mfuleni local government.
Students had their say on the day’s events:
Esisisipho Dlulane (22), from the University of Pretoria, said: “I am so happy to be here today. As a university student, I feel like it is my responsibility to clean this earth so that I have somewhere to live in the future.”
Mpilonhle Mngadi (23), from Tshwane University of Technology, said: “Centurion is a very beautiful place, however, it also has a lot of dirty places where we have to come as ASEZ to clean. Although it is very windy we feel so much joy being united with each other and sharing laughter.”
Ward 59 councillor, Shaun Wilkinson, expressed his gratitude for service to the city by the church started in Korea in 1964, as it has been frequently collaborating in environmental efforts for nearly 10 years.
“I want to thank the student volunteers from ASEZ. It’s amazing every time I meet the students from the organisation, the amount of energy and enthusiasm and love and harmony that is with them. We as a city cannot do this without you, we’ve been with you for nearly 10 years and it’s always just better, and better, and better. We just appreciate you and we love you so much,” Wilkinson said.
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