Volunteers will monitor rodent infestation
Each ward will eventually have three to four volunteers
Ekurhuleni metro decided to tackle the scourge of rodent infestation by appointing volunteers.
These volunteers, deployed in each of the 101 wards, will be tasked with conducting door-to-door visits, assessing and educating households about rodent control.
Each ward will eventually have three to four volunteers.
The first 400 volunteers representing the Rodent Control Community Programme started their work last Wednesday, with some seen in Kwatsaduza.
Makhosazana Twala, member of Ekurhuleni’s mayoral committee said at the launch the volunteers will work hand-in-hand with the metro’s environmental health practitioners. They will be conducting research, do by-law education, as well as identify and report factors to attract rodents, like illegal dumping.
Twala said in 2010 Ekurhuleni estimated the rat infestation rate in the City of Ekurhuleni was at 85%.
This rate has dropped since to 45% and the metro is determined to minimise the rodent infestation even more.
She added the metro will be testing the volunteer project in the next 12 months.
She is confident that it would contribute positively towards eradicating rodents in Ekurhuleni.
