Remembering the legacy of Dan Hunt
RIVONIA – Dan Hunt co-founded CityZen with Najen Naidoo to create a greener, cleaner and safer community for all.
Dan Hunt was a ‘large than life’ person who not only filled a room with his presence but the community at large.
This according to CityZen co-founder Najen Naidoo who paid tribute to his late co-founder. The pair founded the organisation to create a greener, cleaner and safer community for all.
Hunt, who resided in Rivonia for 17 years, had always had a deep sense of community, making an impact and paying it forward.
“It was part of Dan’s DNA to help people, every person he touched knew that if they needed help or advice he was there for them and this included his neighbour’s friends, staff and the beggars and homeless we met on the streets,” said Naidoo.
Hunt began his journey with CityZen and helping the community in his own neighbourhood that overlooks the Sandspruit River.
“A particularly prominent tree in front of his home had a pair of underwear strewn across it brought down by the summer floods,” said Naidoo.
The sight was driving Hunt crazy each time he looked out onto the river and this drove him to action to remove it, and so started this amazing project.”
He began to progressively reshape and landscape the river until he had rehabilitated a 2.5km stretch of the river that many people in the community enjoy.
Once that project was completed, it was onto the next one for Hunt and before they knew it, CityZen grew into a great environment movement which covers 15sqm of Sandton, touching the lives of hundreds of residents and 20 less fortunate individuals.
Naidoo noted the indelible mark that Hunt had left was not shaped by any one event but rather by working with him and watching him work with the less fortunate.
“He was fearless in this pursuit whether we were dealing with addicts, alcoholics or someone just released from jail looking for an opportunity to earn their way in this world.
“Dan gave everyone the same opportunity in life and this is the legacy we will be continuing in his name in CityZen.”
ALSO READ:
https://www.citizen.co.za/sandton-chronicle/298989/a-greener-community-for-all/
