Lasting change requires stakeholders to lead from the front.
Several organisations within the Roodepoort CBD have banded together to tackle the unsightliness of the old business precinct. Spearheaded by Ward 84 committee member Kabelo Ismaeel Mokhine and Roodepoort ICE, all available hands went digging into the muck hoping to make a difference. For two days on September 8 and 9, the concerned residents focused on cleaning main roads and areas near recreational facilities which have been used as illegal dumping sites.
The crews made up of schools, local businesses, and community leaders met at the corner of Berlandina and Liebenberg Street before fanning out to inspect the area. While the clean-up served to rid the streets of bags of unnecessary waste, it helped those in the community security cluster identify and monitor crime hotspots and suspicious individuals.
“We can not live or thrive in a filthy environment as a dirty environment just breeds more filth. The condition of our town has deteriorated over the past years and we as the citizens are tired, we demand to live in a healthy and clean environment,” said Kabelo.
Reigniting a sense of active participation is at the core of Kabelo’s message, with the project being dubbed #RiseRoodepoortRise. From here, the initiative’s goals will be to develop and maintain projects promoting a culture of cleanliness in Roodepoort.
Passionately stating his mission, Kabelo said, “The message we hope to send to the greater public is that it is time for us to do things ourselves. We have to teach and remind each other that we cannot avoid social ills and community challenges by turning a blind eye and hoping the problem goes away The state of many towns in South Africa is bad, no one can help us except ourselves. Let’s stand together in the fight against an unhealthy environment and work towards a clean one.”
