To kick off the new year, and take steps to reclaim their park, the clean and green group, consisting of Albertsville residents, has taken steps to form a fundraising initiative to restore the area, safely, thoroughly, and sustainably.

Aadilah Varachia, who is part of the group, stated that the purpose of this fundraising is to raise money to professionally clear illegal dumping and accumulated litter from their public park and stream. “Due to limited resident participation and manpower, we are seeking assistance to restore the area.”

The fundraising aims to unite Albertville residents around a shared goal of improving and protecting their local park as a safe, green, and welcoming space for all. “This type of initiative aims to address closing gaps that will harness and encourage active community involvement.

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“Fundraising allows us to take action, rather than allow further degradation.”

Varachia highlighted that all funds raised will be used to appoint the Bubele Africa team, a professional environmental service provider, to carry out the clean-up. This is not the first time the group has called on Bubele Africa, an inspiring initiative that empowers marginalised individuals and employs them to clean rivers. They called on them last year as well. “They were efficient, professional, and took so much pride in their work. I do not know when last our river looked so good. We would like to be able to employ their services more often.”

Nicky Arnold, also part of the clean and green group, said that the funds will also be directed towards park maintenance and greening projects, with support from community-driven environmental non-government organisations who can provide the manpower and expertise. “By doing this we aim to boost community morale, encourage greater resident participation, and foster a stronger sense of pride in Albertville’s green spaces.”

Arnold noted that the fundraising initiative grew out of residents passion for preserving Albertville’s park and streams. “We recognised the ongoing effort required to keep these spaces visible and well-maintained, especially since the park is currently labeled as under-developed. This status means resources from the city towards the parks maintenance is not prioritised, leaving our green spaces neglected for long periods. Concerned residents gathered and decided to do something about it.”

Albertville Park is one of the few remaining green spaces in the area. It serves as a natural buffer, recreational space, and ecological corridor, supporting local wildlife and contributing to residents quality of life. Protecting it helps prevent flooding, pollution of waterways, and long-term environmental damage.

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Sally Clark, another member of the clean and green group, voiced that green spaces are essential for their wellbeing. “When you are actually at the river, you realise how beautiful it is. This is space that everyone should be able to enjoy. It is hard to understand why people think this is a place where they can dump their debris, but this is a national – even global problem.”

The fundraising target is R1 500 per collection cycle. This will allow the residents to secure professional assistance from Bubele Africa to complete the clean-up effectively. They plan to focus on maintaining clean and safe open spaces, strengthening community awareness around illegal dumping, and building partnerships with environmental organisations and service providers. The long term goal for them is to move from reactive clean-ups to prevention, education, and sustainable stewardship of their green spaces.

Clark emphasised that the University of Johannesburg formed an exciting partnership with the Gauteng department of environment and other stakeholders to develop a plan to address problems with their waterways. She hopes that their river and green space in Albertville can become part of this initiative. However, she said they will need support of their community for this to work.

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