The We Care 4 Nelspruit organisation partnered with property owners and local businesses to clean a section of the Old Pretoria Road, one of the main arteries through the City of Mbombela (CoM).

The clean-up campaign took place on Thursday, May 14, and focused on cutting overgrown grass, removing litter and opening blocked stormwater drains.

The team also cleaned the park next to the Old Pretoria Road to improve the appearance of the area.

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Founder of the organisation, Pr TJ Maré, said the initiative is driven by a shared desire among business and property owners to uplift the area after concerns that the CoM was not doing enough to maintain it.

“We agreed that the cleaning will continue on a weekly basis, because the property owners want to ensure the area remains attractive,” said Maré.

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He added that stakeholders are also planning to improve lighting, strengthen security and introduce beautification landscaping projects along the route.

Maré raised concerns about illegal informal trading, food stalls and vehicle repairs taking place along the road, saying these activities negatively affect the image of the area.

CoM spokesperson Joseph Ngala welcomed the intervention by the private sector. He said the municipality appreciates community-driven initiatives aimed at keeping the city clean and presentable.