Mandela Day clean-up benefits Port Edward green space
A small group of volunteers collected 24 bags of litter behind the Port Edward Library, with the Umtamvuna Marine Conservancy planning a follow-up environmental education session next month.
The Umtamvuna Marine Conservancy (UMC) committee and supporters marked Mandela Day last Saturday by spending 67 minutes doing community service in the green space behind the Port Edward Library.
The mainly grassed area, where mature indigenous umdoni and ficus trees and palms flourish, boasts an impressive sandstone outcrop.
A stormwater drainage ditch, which provides seasonal water, creates a lush habitat for wildlife and plants, making it a biodiverse area in the heart of the town.
A small but effective group of volunteers collected 24 bags of litter. Among the items removed were golf balls, an old typewriter, plastic bottles and polystyrene. Volunteers also observed that the area is being used as a dumping site for garden refuse.
Before the clean-up, volunteers spoke about volunteering for nature, something Nelson Mandela believed in.
“By joining hands and working together, we can care for our environment while strengthening our community. Even a small group of volunteers can make a meaningful difference,” said UMC chairperson Renée Alcock.
The conservancy thanked everyone who took part, Ray Nkonyeni Municipality’s waste collection services for the immediate removal of the bags of litter, and Migamed Pharmacy for generously supplying gloves.
The UMC plans to host a follow-up alien invasive plant identification session with an environmentalist in the same area on August 18. More details will be announced closer to the time.
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