Mayor, councillors get hands dirty to clean Nkomazi
On Tuesday morning, Nkomazi's mayor and councillors led by example and helped to clean up an area in Block C where illegal dumping is taking place.
TONGA – In bright yellow gloves and rubbish tongs in hand, the executive mayor and his councillors joined municipal workers and community members in cleaning up the area around the Mambane stream in Block C on Tuesday morning.
It was the start of a month-long cleaning and awareness campaign, in partnership with various government departments, environmental clubs, the Komati Basin Water Authority and Inkomati Usuthu Catchment Management Agency.
Waste management is one of the municipality’s greatest challenges, especially since they have been unable to institute formal waste management in many villages. This has caused communities to illegally dump their waste and pollute water sources.
READ: Large scale clean-up in Komati the first step to stopping illegal dumping
“We need to prioritise the environment,” Mayor Johan Mkhatshwa told Corridor Gazette while busy cleaning up. “We have a team that deals with waste management and when we work alongside them, we give them energy. We also invited the community, especially those in the nearest households, to join in.
“We want to teach them that littering nappies, among other things, and contaminating water sources can pose a threat to their lives.”
The campaign aims to clean up some of the areas with the highest level of pollution, and create awareness about the negative impact of illegal dumping.
Mkhatshwa said, due to their schedules, councillors were unable to monitor and work with municipal employees every day but decided to create a programme to do so when they had time.
READ: Municipality turns recycled waste into a public park
The group will work in areas with a high level of illegal dumping over the next month and invite community members to assist them.
On March 7 they will clean the old Mzinti Road between Aniva and Langeloop and on March 17 they will be active near Tonga. On March 28 they plan to clean up and beautify Malelane Park.
Mkhatshwa said the municipality will focus on patching potholes as their next project.
READ: No budget for major repairs to D533 near Hectorspruit
