IN the aftermath of a deluge of plastic rubbish brought in by the series of heavy rains last month, The Litterboom Project has embarked on a large-scale clean-up operation at Cuttings Beach. The team has already collected hundreds of bags of litter from the beach.

Also read: Community comes together for beach clean-up

Casey Pratt, The Litterboom Project media manager, explained that the problem started when floodwaters carried a large amount of plastic pollution through a canal close to the beach, depositing it along the shoreline. “As soon as we were made aware of the situation, we knew we had to move quickly to stop the rubbish from flowing into the ocean,” said Pratt.

In the first four days alone, volunteers and team members managed to collect a staggering 848 bags of plastic and other rubbish. Although that is a great start, Pratt indicated much more needs to be done. “Cuttings Beach is constantly impacted after heavy rain. It’s a beautiful yet overlooked stretch of coastline. Continued clean-ups are essential, and we’d love to see more local involvement,” she said. Residents are encouraged to join upcoming clean-up efforts, raise awareness, or support long-term solutions like the organisation’s Back A Beach programme.

Pratt cited illegal dumping as the origin of the issue.

“The canal flowing into Cuttings Beach is often used as an illegal dumping site. With limited capacity and resources, the municipality struggles to maintain and service this entire stretch as frequently as needed. Unfortunately, this area is sometimes treated as ‘out of sight, out of mind’, which has led to ongoing neglect,” she said.

Despite the challenges, Pratt said Cuttings Beach remains a valuable community space, used for recreation, along with subsistence fishing.

Looking ahead, The Litterboom Project hopes to have a permanent clean-up crew at Cuttings Beach, similar to what is in place at other beaches. To make this happen, they’re calling on local businesses to work with them and pay for a permanent crew for the beach.

As a non-profit organisation, The Litterboom Project relies on donations. If you are interested in helping their cause to make a difference, email them at info@thelitterboomproject.com or you can directly deposit into their FNB account, account number: 62804951508.

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