The City of Johannesburg’s monthly volunteer clean-up campaign, A Re Sebetseng, meaning Let’s Work, has taken another leap forward.
On 25 October the South African National Taxi Council, the Security Agency of South Africa, Eyakho Environmental Forum, the Greater Johannesburg Environmental Forum, Okuhle Waste Management and the University of Johannesburg, pledged their support to the campaign.
McDonald’s and Rosebank College also respectively signed a Memorandum of Understanding, with Pikitup:
Executive Mayor Herman Mashaba said McDonald’s has pledged to support the campaign for the next four months, with the possibility of further renewal and Rosebank College for the next year.
Mashba said this added support reinforces the commitment the City has taken to continue with the initiative.
“The A Re Sebetseng campaign strives to encourage residents to take care of the environment and promote a culture of reducing, reusing, and recycling waste to ensure that Johannesburg becomes one of the cleanest cities in Africa,” he said.
The mayor explained that the memoranda and pledges are public-private partnerships that the City would like to see extended across the city, with businesses, schools, and civic groups joining the call to clean up Johannesburg.
“Clean cities result in healthy communities. Clean cities invite investment. Clean cities are safer cities.”
After signing the documents, volunteers again headed out to the streets of Braamfontein to sweep, pick up and get cleaning. Pikitup’s managing director, Lungile Dhlamini, and the MMC for Environment and Infrastructure Services, Nico de Jager, also joined in.
Ultimately, the City wants to encourage residents to take pride in their surroundings and help the waste management entity to keep the city clean. Dhlamini said that no municipality can do it alone, that there is always a need for partnerships.
The second A Re Sebetseng citywide clean-up will take place on 28 October at various places, organised either by ward councillors or residents. If volunteers need more information, they can contact their ward councillors. Send an email to chantellef@caxton.co.za with your street name if you are not sure who your ward councillor is.
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