As Alexandra residents embarked on their latest clean–up campaign, one question lingered: could a rake, refuse bags, and a determined group of volunteers be enough to restore what many call the township’s former glory?

Passersby looked on as volunteers bent to the task of clearing waste along 17th Avenue and Josias Madzunya Street on July 11. Yet not everyone was convinced the effort would make a lasting impact.

Some residents living along the street said that while they had tried before, arranging refuse bags neatly and packing them properly, the results never lasted. They said that when no one was watching, recyclers would tear through the plastic bags in search of recyclable materials and leave the rubbish scattered across the embattled avenue once again.

Read more: Residents clean up the streets undettered

While residents tried to burn the waste to prevent it from spreading, a heap of charred trash was not really a pleasant sight for many. Still, others treated it as though it didn’t exist, walking past without a second glance.

However, a few community volunteers, working alongside Junior Chamber International (JCI) Sandton, decided that they were not going to accept that all the avenue could be was dirty, unsightly, unhealthy, and even smelly.

Taking simple, ordinary tools, they carried a far more important mission: to fight for a clean Alexandra that they wanted to see.

Ndlovu, together with Natasha Skhosana, has been cleaning up the area for quite a while. Skhosana said that they put the trash into refuse bags and take it to Vincent Tshabalala Road, where the municipal waste collection truck can pick it up with ease.

“Whatever a person can do, whatever I do, I do it from the bottom of my heart. There is nothing that will discourage me,” she said.

For about eight years, in the same line of work, she, alongside others, has faced numerous challenges.

Ndlovu said the current problem, which undermines most cleanup efforts, is that people dump their rubbish even after the truck has passed.

“I just wish that Alexandra would return to its former state, where people abide by the law and are governable, knowing that people ought to take their waste outside for the waste collection truck to collect it, not after it has passed,” he said.

Despite their determination, both the volunteers and JCI Sandton know lasting impact cannot be achieved overnight. JCI Sandton president Chris Malanda said dealing with the recurring issue of littering and illegal dumping requires more than just clean–up campaigns; it requires raising awareness.

Also read: Some clean up Alex’s Pan, others continue to loot

Malanda and his team not only work together with community members to clean up the areas, but they also put up posters on street poles, emphasising that a clean Alexandra is a safe Alexandra.

“This is the responsibility of every citizen to ensure that our environment is clean. Everyone has a right, but we also have a duty to ensure that we are actually contributing to a healthy and safe community,” Malanda said.

Follow us on our WhatsApp channel, Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok for the latest updates!