Residents urged to keep the neighbourhood clean to avoid rats

In their concerted efforts to eliminate an uncontrollable population of rats in the area, Diepsloot Residents Association (DRA) and the Department of Health in Region A recently embarked on a door-to-door rat fumigation campaign in Ext 1 in Diepsloot.

This was after residents raised concerns about the rats in the area that pose a health risk to residents.

Diepsloot Residents Association spokesperson, Joseph Mvelase said the association decided to contact the Department of Health in the City of Johannesburg to help get rid of the rats.

“Some residents came to us and asked that DRA intervene in what they described as a plague in Ext 1… We contacted the Department of Health in Region A to come and help fumigate the area. We hope that this will help in eradicating this problem of a growing population of rats,” Mvelase added.

Chairperson of the Health Governance Structure in Region A, Scelo Shezi urged residents to keep the area clean. “The purpose of fumigating the area was sparked by concerns of an increasing population of rats that eat almost everything in people’s houses. We also wanted to raise awareness and encourage residents of Extension 1 to keep their neighbourhood clean by putting waste in designated areas.”

Shezi concluded, “Education can play a pivotal role in changing people’s behaviour. Fumigating the area without educating how to prevent the problem cannot help us win this battle.”

Related Article: 

https://www.citizen.co.za/fourways-review/372432/residents-clean-up-initiative-aims-to-keep-douglasdale-clean/