Residents embark on clean-up

Residents of Ivydale joined forces to clean up waste in the main streets and the open periphery of the area on Saturday.
Residents are saying they have decided to take matters into their own hands following the alleged failure by Polokwane Municipality to clean the area and pick up waste regularly.
One of the residents, Amanda de Beer said they are baffled by the municipality’s inability to keep the place clean and in good condition.
“The place is filthy and we feel that we have been neglected by the municipality. The streets are dirty and there is so much filth on our doorstep and we are pleading with the municipality to meet us halfway,” De Beer said.
She also said they are pleading with the municipality’s law enforcement unit to help to remove prostitutes operating openly in the main streets of the area. “We have a lot of brothels here and we don’t know what to do about them. The prostitutes are damaging the image of this area and we are asking for the intervention from Polokwane Municipality,” remarked de Beer.
Spokesperson for Polokwane Municipality, Thipa Selala said the municipality is currently not rendering refuse collection from the plots, smallholdings and farms within the areas of jurisdiction and there is no rate currently being charged.
“Ivydale may apply to the municipality to introduce the service in their areas. However the waste office assists with street cleaning, offers refuse bags to conduct cleaning campaigns and the municipality provides trucks to load and transport the waste to the landfill site for final disposal.”

Story: Herbert Rachuene