The Parkhurst Residents and Business Owners Association (Praboa) observed World Clean-up Day on September 20 at 5th Avenue Park, where the Braamfontein Spruit runs.

Community members turned out in droves with shovels, tongs, refuse bags and gloves to clean the edges of the spruit, while Bubele Africa workers safely pulled litter from the water.

Read more: Retailer clean up on World Clean-up Day

According to the United Nations, this year’s World Clean-up Day global observance focuses on food waste, one of the largest and most preventable waste streams affecting cities and communities worldwide.

Praboa’s Pauline Borton said it was the fourth time the residents’ association had participated in the initiative. “World Clean-up Day is about keeping our waterways clean and raising awareness about eco-biodiversity and what litter can do to our rivers and waterways,” she said.

Also read: Residents clean up their community

“We are joined by different collaborators and organisations, including Bubele Africa, Jozi Trails, Being a River, 24/7 Security Craighall Park and Nan Roberts Estates.” Borton added that it is an important community event that unites people and shows appreciation for the green space.

Shaun Blumberg, the business development lead for 24/7 Security, noted that security is not only about keeping people’s homes safe, but also about keeping public spaces safe. “This is so people can enjoy their neighbourhoods, which is where we come in,” he said. “Part of our and Praboa’s mandate is to keep public spaces in Parkhurst safe, and that’s why we’ve decided to partner together.”

Being a River is a local community initiative that engages with citizen science and creative arts to explore our relationship with the streams and waterways that flow through the city. Through facilitating creative conversations, the initiative seeks to inspire action to care for water that moves people beyond litter clean-ups, and to connect us with other groups working along the waterways.

Its main focus is on the Braamfontein Spruit, which runs through various Johannesburg suburbs on its way to meet the Limpopo River, and, eventually, the Indian Ocean.

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