Second Avenue, between Alfred Nzo and Josias Madzunya streets, carries the familiar scent of litter that plagues many parts of Alexandra.

Piles of informally dumped rubbish frequently accumulate, waiting for Pikitup employees to clear them. Yet amid this challenge, two determined volunteers, Ntombizodwa Sithole and Bizwephi Buthelezi, have taken a stand.

Every day for the past three years, Sithole and Buthelezi have rolled up their sleeves, picked up tools, swept, and cleared litter along this stretch of road.

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Locals agree that their work is visible and has transformed the area into one of Alexandra’s cleanest streets.

“Whenever they clean the street, it shows. You could even chill on the street,” community member Senzo Buthelezi noted. He said they don’t just pick up litter, they turn the space into one that feels cared for and habitable.

Community members who appreciate the pair’s work are under no illusion that their efforts exist in isolation. That is why they actively work to protect their gains, confronting the careless dumping that continues to undermine both their volunteer work and the official efforts of Pikitup.

On Tuesday, a number of residents were stopped from disposing of their waste after the Pikitup truck had passed.

Buthelezi said this habit doesn’t just make the area untidy; it creates ideal conditions for Alexandra rats, as many call them. Furthermore, he said animals, including dogs and Madala hostel goats often tear the refuse bags and scatter rubbish across the street.

Also read: Councillor believes Alex residents must own the fight against illegal dumping

Now, to keep the streets clean, Buthelezi and other locals have adopted a no-nonsense stance, insisting that after waste collection no one is allowed to leave their trash in the streets. “They know Pikitup times. When the truck has passed, there is no longer a need for someone to leave their rubbish on the street,” Buthelezi said.

Initially, Sithole and Buthelezi received stipends for their cleaning efforts, but after ten months, the contracts expired. Many others in similar roles laid down their tools at that point. These two did not. “We are not working because we get paid, we are just volunteering to keep our place clean,” Sithole said.

She explained that their work is no longer about compensation, but about obligation to their community. “People break bottles, but because our children play on these streets, we have to remove those things that might be harmful to them.”

Despite their own financial responsibilities and the pressures that come with daily life, Sithole and Buthelezi remain determined to fight off Alex rats by complementing Pikitup’s efforts to keep the streets clean.

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