With regard to last Monday’s storm in Secunda which, though very destructive, left the area looking strangely pretty and white, I would like our residents to see the ugly face of heavy rain here.
I have not been along the entire waterway of the town, but immediately after the storm we noted a “raft” of plastic rubbish which stretched across the entire width of Hamerkop Dam and was subsequently washed downstream.
At one of the small bridges, a lot of organic debris became lodged and it trapped a very large amount of mainly plastic bottles.
This is probably quite fortuitous, as it prevented the rubbish from being washed further downstream.
Between this bridge and Hamerkop Dam wall there are many more plastic bottles, left high and dry along the course of the stream after the water receded.
I have two main concerns regarding this plastic pollution.
Firstly, is it going to be removed along with all the other debris, and the entire waterway cleaned?
I fear I know the answer to that question after years of living in Secunda.
Secondly, when are certain residents of our town going to take responsibility for the mess that they leave lying around?
And again, I fear the answer to that question is probably “never”.
Have these people, who evidently have no concern for the environment, ever stopped to consider the possibility that perhaps storms such as we experienced last week might be Mother Nature’s way of getting us to show some respect for our planet?
I have to admit that I despair for the future of this poor earth of ours.
Clean up your act, litterbugs and stop destroying our town and environment.
In sadness.
The Bag Lady (retired), Secunda.
