Councillor practices what he preaches to mobilize 60 million for cleaner Fourways

Councillor David Foley, of Ward 94, has been making waves with his ambitious initiative to mobilize 60 million people to pick up litter and maintain a clean environment.

Last month, he boldly declared his intentions to rally the masses behind this noble cause. This week, he took his own words to heart, literally leading by example.

Foley and his wife rolled up their sleeves, grabbed some trash bags, and hit the streets of their suburb to pick up litter.

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Their efforts didn’t go unnoticed, as they were soon joined by other residents, who share their passion for keeping the community clean. As the phrase goes, ‘Cleanness is next to Godliness’, and Foley is putting his words into action.

“Leading by example means I do it as well,” he said. “Two people joined, me and my other half, Amanda. We were able to fill two bags, which were collected in just one street. As it was a holiday I requested people to step out of their houses or complexes to just clean the street closest to them, to improve as part of my project: 1 Paper-1 Person.”

Also read: 60 million people targeted to help Cllr keep Fourways clean

Foley said his brainchild was born out of frustration with the rampant littering that seems to be becoming a trend in the community. “I’ve noticed that people continue to litter, seemingly oblivious to the devastating consequences of their actions. Something as innocuous as a sweet wrapper, or a discarded plastic bottle, can have serious repercussions, particularly for animals.”

Foley believes that Fourways can be transformed into a model community, where cleanliness and responsibility are valued above all else, if the community works together with him.

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“I am asking the community to join this initiative. Their children are being taught about recycling and not littering at school. So, if their parents are practicing what their children are being taught by their teachers, they would take these lessons very seriously. We will not only be keeping our environment clean; we’ll also be protecting animals from consuming these plastics. Even cigarette butts should not just be dumped randomly. “

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