Tidy times for Margate
It's a huge boost of confidence for the town, says Stephen Herbst of Tidy Towns.
There is great excitement in the air, with Margate being nominated for the semi-finals in the Kwela – Dorp van die Jaar competition.
Hard work has certainly paid off for the Tidy Towns Shelly to Margate team and roleplayers who welcome this fantastic, positive news for the seaside town.
Stephen Herbst of Tidy Towns said this wonderful news has given the town a huge boost of confidence for both visitors and locals, and they are so proud of what has been achieved as a community.
The Tidy Towns team, whose focus is to drive tourism to the coast, is already seeing an influx of holidaymakers to St Mike’s, Uvongo and Margate beaches, despite the heavy downpour recently which some covered in debris.
Scott Kvalsvig of Tidy Towns said that, compared to last year, there has definitely been an increase in visitors, families in particular, to the beaches, and that this is exciting to see.
“The spin-offs of having a functioning Tidy Towns is massive. An increase in tourism means the coast will see more sustainable job creation (right from the bottom to the top), which in return prevents people resorting to begging and crime,” he said.
Follow the Tidy Towns Shelly to Margate Facebook page and the South Coast Herald for all the updates on the competition.
The coast was hit by a short burst of torrential rain last Friday evening, causing tons of debris to wash-up onto Uvongo and St Mike’s beaches.
The dynamic volunteers of Tidy Towns sprang into action and, in record time, had the beaches cleaned up so that they could open.
The Herald visited Uvongo beach last week and was pleasantly surprised to see tidy beaches and holidaymakers enjoying the clean water and sun.
HAVE YOUR SAY
Like the South Coast Herald’s Facebook page, follow us on Twitter and Instagram
