Vorna Valley residents clean their area
VORNA VALLEY – The residents association and other community members took matters into their own hands by riding the area of rubbish, cutting trees and planting beautiful flowers.
The Vorna Valley Residents Association, with help from residents and businesses, rid the corner of Albertyn Street and Harry Galaun Drive of rubbish.
Attendees of the clean-up, which included employees of Firzt Properties – a long-time supporting sponsor of the association, picked up rubbish, cut grass and trees as well as planted pretty flowers on February 19. Meghann Kroukamp, a marketing manager at Firzt Properties, said as a real estate company, they believe the nicer the neighbourhood looked, the prouder everyone would be of it and houses would sell better.
They plan to do the clean-ups on a quarterly basis. She added that they started with this corner as it was a problem area. “The place has become an informal taxi rank, taxi operators park on the side of the road and that has turned the place into an unhealthy risk,” said Kroukamp.
“There have been complaints from residents living next to the corner claiming that the place smelled of urine and [that] rubbish was being thrown over the wall of a residential complex on this corner.”
Kroukamp said there are also claims from residents that drugs are sold on this corner. Constable Eliot Mabulane, spokesperson for the Midrand Police Station said that they were not aware of drugs being sold on the corner of Albertyn Street and Harry Galaun Drive. However, he acknowledged that there were drug issues and cases in the Midrand area – especially regarding some people who do not understand the legal use of weed.
“As the Midrand Police Station, we are on a campaign to get rid of any use of illegal substances. Each and every week we have a campaign to address drug-related cases and more suspects are arrested in different areas that include Noordwyk and Vorna Valley, the CBD and more. We will keep on doing this up until we clean up,” said Mabulane.
A resident of Vorna Valley and principal at the Space Age Independent School in President Park, Farai Mukwavaya brought his matric class to the clean-up. He wanted to support the initiative and use it as a way to teach the learners to look after the environment. “Whatever we throw away, especially litter, ends up in water or our food, and reduces the quality of life and our health,” said Mukwavaya.
Mukwavaya said if children play in an unclean environment, they could get sick and require medical attention. “It is very important to make sure that our environment is very clean.”
Details: Vorna Valley Residents Association
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