Danny Nunes and his CREASS Community Services team joined Melville residents in taking on a growing dumping problem along Rustenburg Road, rolling up their sleeves to clear litter, garden waste, overgrown vegetation and debris from the area.

The clean-up, organised by the Melville Residents Association physical environment team on September 19, was aimed at reclaiming the roadside and making the area safer for pedestrians, runners and cyclists. Nunes said the security initiative used resources that had already been booked for the month to support the community effort.

The biggest issue facing the section of Rustenburg Road was dumping, he said, with garden waste, litter and domestic refuse among the material being cleared.

Read more: Community takes action to clean up illegal dumping in Sophiatown

He explained that frustrated residents looking for alternative ways to dispose of their rubbish during recent Pikitup go-slows and strikes might have worsened the problem. “People get frustrated, so they tend to just find anybody who’s willing to take their refuse away from them. A lot of these people just end up unfortunately dumping it at the roadside.”

The rubbish along the road was not only an environmental concern but was also affecting pedestrians and other people using the area. Nunes said the extent of the dumping had taken over parts of the sidewalk, forcing pedestrians, runners and cyclists closer to the road.

The clean-up therefore focused on more than simply removing visible rubbish. Residents and volunteers also worked on the road’s storm water channels, cleared overgrown vegetation and removed a fallen tree that had been blocking a pathway.

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For Nunes, seeing residents take part was one of the most important aspects of the day. “I love the community spirit. I love seeing active citizenry,” he said.

He added that he believes the community has moved beyond simple active participation and is taking greater responsibility for solving local problems, without waiting for outside intervention. That meant residents were not waiting for someone else to address every problem. Instead, they were putting on gloves, picking up rubbish and working together to improve the environment around them.

The clean-up brought together a range of people from the Melville community, including Residents Association chairperson Darryl Gouws, estate agents and other residents.

Nunes said his team also joined the effort to maintain momentum and support the volunteers. He also extended his thanks to Beagle Watch environmental for supporting the effort along the stretch from Sabie Road to 3rd Avenue.

For those involved in the Rustenburg Road clean-up, the effort showed what can happen when residents decide to take responsibility for the spaces around them. Rather than simply pointing to the problem, they picked up the gloves and started cleaning.

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