Better Bryanston celebrates first anniversary with a clean-up drive
From overgrown pavements to cleaner, brighter streets, Better Bryanston celebrated one year of making a visible difference in the community.
Armed with gloves, brooms, shovels, and shared sense of purpose, Better Bryanston took to Winnie Mandela Drive and Pretoria Main Road to clear verges and remove overgrown grass in celebration of the organisations first anniversary.
The clean-up operation was followed by a cake cutting ceremony, celebrating a year of dedicated work aimed at restoring and maintaining the cleanliness and appearance of Bryanston’s streets and public spaces.
Better Bryanston chairperson Joyce Tshabalala reflected on the organisation’s journey since its establishment in May last year. “This is a particularly special day for Better Bryanston because we are celebrating our one-year birthday. We have cake and balloons to show for it and it’s been a wonderful journey. It started last year May, and we didn’t know that we would come this far, but here we are. Every single Friday, we clean the streets.”
Tshabalala expressed her gratitude to community members and donors, whose support enables the organisation to continue operating. “Thank you to everyone who supported us this far. Your donations and help has got us this far on our journey. We’d like to thank our sponsors. We’d like to thank Byron Thomas, who began this journey with us. They’ve been consistent. Every single Friday, our tools are brought to the site by them. It’s just been a wonderful collaboration.”
Beyond beautifying the suburb, Better Bryanston has also created employment opportunities for residents. “We are a non-profit company, and survive on donations, but we have been able to create jobs. We’ve been able to create hope for people who were otherwise without any jobs.
Also read: Rivonia community clean up their streets
“I would also like to thank the collaboration we’ve had with the directors and their families who have been so supportive. We’re like a family now.”
Better Bryanston operations manager Hlanganisa Tshabalala said the initiative is a testament of what communities can achieve if working together. “We can no longer fold our arms and sit back and say we pay rates and taxes so a clean environment is the responsibility of the government.
“We started last year, when we saw a lot of degradation and decay on Bryanston streets. We formed this non-profit organisation, which has transformed the streets of Bryanston. We feel so great today that Bryanston is now on track to become the beautiful suburb it once was.”
Long-serving team member Promise Mpofu, who has been with Better Bryanston since its interception, described the transformation he has witnessed. “When we started, the roadsides were terrible, filled with overgrown grass and litter. With interest, we started cleaning roads to bring back the spark of our suburb. I like to keep doing this for as long as I live. I’m happy that we are now a big team, so cleaning up has become easier than before.”
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