Pikitup kicked off World Environment Day by cleaning up the streets in the city centre.
In the early hours of 3 June, City officials together with some volunteers got their hands dirty as they cleaned up the streets in the city centre, including the Noord Taxi Rank.
While the clean-up was in progress, a message was conveyed to residents to inform them that Pikitup was using all its means to keep the city clean. With the message, #WasteStopsWithMe, residents were told to be conscious of their decisions and change their behaviour towards waste.
The clean-up also marked the launch of a citywide monthly Friday Clean-Up campaign and the Pikitup Separation@Source door-to-door programme which will all go beyond the World Environment Day commemoration.
In a statement released by Pikitup, the campaign was aimed at restoring the pride and dignity of the city of Johannesburg.
Following the clean-up, Pikitup hosted a Waste Management Dialogue themed Bring Back Jozi’s Shine.
The Pikitup’s chairperson of the board of directors, Dr Trish Hanekom delivered a keynote address to welcome a panel made up of the following people:
- Leslie Sedibe, chief executive officer of Proudly South Africa
- Catherine Constantinides, executive director of Miss Earth South Africa
- Andy Balaram, community engagement specialist of University of Johannesburg
- Musa Jack, executive director of Waste Minimisation and Programmes, Pikitup
The panel will discuss the state of cleanliness in the inner city and unpack long-term solutions to issues faced by the city as far as waste is concerned. The main message delivered to residents was to encourage them to reduce, reuse and recycle as landfills within the city were already overflowing.
