My Take: Zap it in the Zibi

IN general, we South Africans are a messy bunch.

We moan like hell when our town councils don’t clean up the trash… that we put there in the first place.

Even in the ‘burbs’, many of us don’t even bother to walk out the front gate to pick up a few pieces of our own rubbish that spilt out of our own, ripped trash bags.

Trash builds up ‘around’… not ‘in’… the bins that are placed conveniently for us at beaches.

Commuters in taxis have to be among the worst culprits. How often has one seen an empty cold drink bottle or take-away packet fly out the window?

The lamest explanation must be: “’They’… say it is creating a job for someone”. That’s absolute trash (excuse the pun).

Somebody probably said it once out of spite and the comment spread to become another urban legend in the more privileged classes.

OK, point made. Now what to do about it?

• For starters, instead of sending armies of cleaner-uppers on a never-ending quest to keep our coast clean, start empowering police, protection service officers and even lifeguards to issue spot fines to litterbugs. Start making an example of a few people and maybe peoples’ aim will improve around rubbish bins.

• Taxi drivers have a bad reputation for many reasons – speeding, aggressive driving, hooting, driving unroadworthy vehicles, etc., etc. What an opportunity for them to play a positive role to spread the ‘keep it clean’ message. Think “good PR”, taxi people!

• Fishing clubs need to spread the word: “Messy anglers (who leave empty, stinking sardine boxes on the beach and rocks) aren’t welcome.”

• Now it’s up to all of us to be brave enough to waggle a disapproving finger at anyone we see tossing their rubbish anywhere, but in the bin.

Older readers will remember the national ‘Zap it in the Zibi’ campaign. What ever happened to Zibi?
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