South Africa’s largest coordinated beach clean-up campaign, Coast 2 Coast, collected one tonne of litter during its latest KZN visit, with volunteers making a stop on the South Coast this week.

Led by environmental activist Zoë Prinsloo, founder of the non-profit organisation Save a Fishie, the team spent Wednesday morning cleaning The Block in Port Shepstone alongside the Port Shepstone Girl Guides and other volunteers. They also stopped past Umtentweni Beach and removed a heap of glass bottles from the bushes.

Since launching in 2023, Coast 2 Coast has mobilised thousands of volunteers, partnered with local organisations and removed tens of tons of litter from South Africa’s coastline. In 2025, the campaign reached a record milestone when volunteers collected 7,702kg of litter while cleaning 58 beaches over seven weeks.

This year, the initiative has adopted a new format, replacing one extended expedition with six targeted clean-up trips across different coastal regions. The change is expected to improve flexibility around weather conditions, increase community participation and provide greater year-round visibility for sponsors.

Prinsloo began organising beach clean-ups at the age of 10 and founded Save a Fishie when she was 16. Together with her team, led by her mother and biggest supporter Tanya, she has helped remove more than 65 tons of litter from South Africa’s beaches. She also holds the world record for the longest continuous beach clean-up, lasting 27 hours.

Save a Fishie has also released its first children’s storybook, The Fishie That Got Saved, inspired by the tiny fish that launched Prinsloo’s conservation journey.

For more information, visit saveafishie.co.za

HAVE YOUR SAY

Like the South Coast Herald’s Facebook page, follow us on Twitter and Instagram