Kew residents clean-up Corlett Drive in commemoration of Youth Day
Volunteers commemorated Youth Day by clearing overgrown vegetation on a neglected stretch of Corlett Drive that residents say had become a haven for criminal activity.
Instead of marking Youth Day with celebrations indoors, residents and community organisations in Kew rolled up their sleeves and took action to reclaim a neglected section of Corlett Drive that had become a crime hotspot.
On June 16, members of the Sandringham Community Policing Forum (CPF), Bramely CPF, Sandringham Youth Desk, Kew Action Group, and local residents joined forces to restore the area through a clean-up campaign. Armed with gardening tools, machinery, and a shared sense of purpose, volunteers spent the day cutting overgrown grass, trimming trees, clearing pavements, and removing waste.
Bramely CPF member Lebo Kgang and Sandringham CPF member Loraine Buzo said the initiative was driven by reports they had received from residents who said the overgrown grass and lining trees had created hiding spot for criminals, leaving the pedestrians and residents feeling unsafe. “We decided to celebrate June 16 differently because most of the time we find that people are sitting and drinking,” they said. “We decided to spend our time cleaning this abandoned place and making the street safer for the community.”
Also read: Better Bryanston volunteers clean up
Kew Action Group chairperson Ruggero Grech-Cunbo said the aim of the clean-up drive was to prevent vagrants from sleeping on the roadsides of Corlett Drive. “We are cutting trees that are hanging over the pavements, cutting overgrown grass, and clearing the sidewalks to make the place look attractive and safe, and to ensure that there’s no break-ins at surrounding properties.”
Resident Wakgosi Pako thanked volunteers for taking action to address the long-standing problem. “Before, there was a big tree here, behind which people were hiding and robbing pedestrians of their cellphones.”
He added that the overgrown site had also become a gathering place for people sorting through scrap and waste materials collected during the day. “I am so grateful to see that our community has turned up and done something about this. We can live without fear of getting robbed in our neighbourhood.”
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