WATCH: Glen Marais residents unite to remove ‘aliens’
Young and old were geared with garden tools, gumboots and gloves to make their environment a better place.
Many residents probably enjoyed a lazy Saturday morning as temperatures dropped and dark clouds filled the sky. Not the about 60 Glen Marais residents who decided to clean the dam adjoining their two complexes in Blue Gill from invasive plants.
“The dam was full of invasive plants such as buckwheat, Spanish weeds and yellow irises,” estate manager of Blue Gill and The Waterfront Elda Weideman told Express.
According to her, the invasive plants have been a problem for a while, so the residents decided to take matters into their own hands.
When Express arrived at the clean-up at around noon, the locals seemed to be in high spirits, enjoying a well-deserved lunch. Black bags filled to the brim with invasive plants lay closeby.
“We were joined by adults, youngsters and even little children,” Weideman added. “We really experienced ubuntu.” She hopes that this will encourage people to “stop moaning from the sidelines and take action”.
One youngster, Aden Basson (9), was hard at work with a garden pick.
“It’s a lot of fun,” he told Express while continuing to work. “We even removed some rubbish from the water.” And his message to those people who litter?
“How do you feel knowing that other people must clean your mess?”
