CoE procures 70 tuk-tuks

In the hopes of improving sanitation in the City of Ekurhuleni (CoE), the metro made several investments and improvements in 2019.

Executive mayor Clr Mzwandile Masina emphasised during his speech at the final sitting of the CoE council on November 28 that improving recycling was one of the city’s sanitation-related objectives.

He said Heidelberg Transfer Station, used to strengthen waste-recycling operations, had been revamped and relaunched.

“The facility supports informal waste recyclers, who play a critical role in keeping the city clean and habitable,” said Masina.

During 2019 the city procured 70 tuk-tuks to enhance economic development, eradicate pollution and minimise the amount of waste taken to landfills.

“Priority will be given to communities within informal settlement as the tuk-tuks will also assist in improving the cleanliness and well-being of the areas.”

The metro has helped the beneficiaries of the tuk-tuks to acquire driver’s licences and register their vehicles.

In March 2019, the Good Green Deeds clean-up programme was launched by President Cyril Ramaphosa.

All municipalities, including CoE, were requested to align their waste management strategies with the objectives of the programme.

“Through this programme, the city partnered with community members in the cleaning up of illegal dumps in identified selected wards twice a month, and further raised the environmental awareness of the residents of the city,” said Masina.

“We are a city that has demonstrated the capacity to do well in environmental protection.”

Masina highlighted that the environmental health division of the city took the runner-up position at the Alfred Nzo National Environmental Health Excellence Awards, with a score of 94 per cent.

The award is presented by the National Department of Health and is conferred annually at the World Environmental Health Day celebrations.