Toti gets tough on litter this #CleanupMonth

REFLECTING on the month of September, which not only symbolises new, fresh beginnings but also welcomes an array of clean-ups of the coast and inland areas in South Africa and internationally, the community and participating businesses have done the Earth proud.

Amanzimtoti’s final figures speak volumes and will surely re-instill pride for the area in many who have possibly lost it.

Bags collected on Coastal Clean-up Day (Saturday, 15 September)

Umbogintwini Beach: 327
Amanzimtoti Promenade, Rivermouth and Chain Rocks: 65
Warner Beach: 25
Winklespruit Beach: 23
Ilanda Wilds/Hutchison Park: 60

Sapphire Coast Tourism chairman, Romy Wenzel extended gratitude to all volunteers, NPOs, businesses and municipal departments which assisted in making International Coastal Clean-up Day a great success.
“It’s of great pleasure to have witnessed many, many helping hands on the day, spread out across seven stations,” she said.

Check out all the action in the gallery: Getting stuck in this #CleanupMonth 

“Apart from picking up rubbish, volunteers were urged to complete data sheets to assist with the organising and analysing of data accordingly,” explained Romy. “This assisted us with the identification of the most and least common rubbish types littering our coastline.

Cigarette butts, polystyrene containers and pieces, bottle tops, earbuds, sucker sticks, straws, plastic as well as glass bottles, fishing line and shoes were high on the list. Unusual items collected as per volunteers who participated included door mats, electrical appliances, dead chickens and condoms.”

Sapphire Coast Tourism and Clean Surf Project thanked Amanzimtoti Country Club for offering secure parking to all participants, over and above making the venue available to each and everyone that joined in this worthy initiative. Durban South Toyota went as far as branding one of the company cars in line with September being clean up month.

The bakkie was used to to remove rubbish bags off the beach, in an effort to assist DSW and beach management.
Much constructive fun was had, and combined with the beautiful weather conditions and excellent effort, International Coastal Clean-up day was deemed a success of a morning.

Following the beach clean-ups, the community and organisers tackled the Warner Beach stretch of Kingsway, from Warner Beach Prep senior campus through to Pick ‘n Pay Kingsburgh on Saturday, 22 September.

In preparation for this clean-up, VOV Trust’s Zeele Pauw and her crew did a grand job at Warner Beach’s subway. They created much open space through the removal of dead plants, branches and weeds. New plants and further clean ups along the subway garden will be continued in time.

Warner Beach Preparatory’s grade 6 and 7 pupils embarked on a clean-up of the school surrounds as part of the campaign on Friday, 21 September.

On the Saturday, 90 volunteers and businesses braved the wet and cold weather to join forces to clear verges and bushes. Security guards were stationed at all four meeting points, safeguarding all volunteers.

“It was a great pleasure to have local businesses joining the initiative, caring for what’s in front of their doorsteps,” said Romy.

The weekend’s Beat the Street Clean-up campaign totaled saw some 300 bags collected from the stretch.

Gratitude is paid to the following for coming on board this Clean-up Month:

Amanzimtoti Primary School, Kingsway High School, Durban South Toyota, Pam Golding Properties, Blue Security, Durban Solid Waste, Winklespruit Surf Lifesaving Club, Umbogintwini Scouts, Amanzimtoti Sports Centre, Amanzimtoti Cycling Club, Wagtail Conservancy, Baggies Kiosk, Beach Management (Jayce Govender), Cllr Andre Beetge, Law Enforcement and Lane and Associates, Pick’n Pay Winklespruit, Fins and Tails, McClean Autowash, KFC Winklespruit, Kings Hardware, Bluff Meat Supply Kingsburgh, Superspar Winklespruit, Hypersure, Mike Signs, Mega Enterprises, Eden Water, Coastal Feeds, Victory Kwikspar, Sparkport Pharmacy, Indian Origin, K2 Electronics, St Mary’s Church, Charles Merrington Executive Financial Services, Warnadoone Skiboat Club, Warner Beach Preparatory, Toti Conservancy, Umbogintwini Scouts, Durban South Toyota, VOV Trust, Blue Security, CCPO, ET Security, Shindig Event Decor and Design.

Romy thanked organisers Angus Pyke, Monique de Kock, Andrew Manning, Eliese and Ray McClean for their instrumental role.

Upcoming campaigns include

13 October: Amanzimtoti Lagoon to Chain Rocks from 8am to 10am.
27 October: Beat the Street Clean-up (2nd edition). Register from 7.30am, as the clean-up runs from 8am to 10am. Meet at St Mary’s Church/Warner Beach railway bridge.

Anyone interested in joining or assisting in upcoming clean-up campaigns can contact Clean Surf Project on 082-802-3353 or cleansurfproject@gmail.com.

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