DEAR Editor,-
I share with you these photos that I took last week at the Margate pier parking area.
What can be done to prevent such filth and pollution?
Hats off to the police who tried to address and rectify the matter, although there must have been an entire school enjoying Margate, to the detriment of the environment.
Approximately six large 60-seater bus coaches and 20 large 18-seater taxis brought in an entire school from Mount Ayliff in the Eastern Cape (old Transkei) and the photos do not do justice to the filth and pollution left by this school.
I took it upon myself, to no avail, to have a friendly one-on-one with the principal, who was also part of the visiting party.
An utter waste of time and energy when the responses I received from her were: ‘They are children and we cannot control them. They are from rural areas and are used to polluting and pollution, but not to worry, the Margate council cleaning staff will come tomorrow and clean up.’
I tried to explain to her about carrying black bags on such excursions and lecturing the children before departure and upon arrival. Further, why not get them all to clean up before boarding the homeward-bound buses and to use the litter bins that are available? This may serve as a lesson for such future trips and our environment. I said, yes, creating employment for council cleansing teams is great, but what about the overnight wind and rain that will deposit all this filth into our beautiful ocean?
At this point I gave up when I saw the police, who were there in large numbers, also losing the battle of trying to enlighten the Mount Ayliff ‘educated’ teachers, who are expected to educate and guide the pupils.
A possible solution? Maybe coaches and taxis should have designated parking bays in a secure fenced area away from the beachfront area, where such situations can be managed. The garbage and filth will be contained inside the fenced area without being blown and strewn all over. The fences in this designated parking area will look like South Africa’s ‘national flower’ when they are decorated with plastic bags.
On a positive note, maybe the parking meters that are being spoken about for the Margate beachfront, will keep such situations under control by not allowing all day free parking ?
BRIAN WILKINS
