THE staircases across The Bluff had fallen into a state of neglect and now a new community-driven initiative has brought residents together under the banner of Project Elite with a singular purpose to restore and revitalise these essential public spaces.

Also read: WATCH: Bluff residents rally to clean up

Elize Horsford, the vision behind the project, said the idea came to her unexpectedly on April 1. “You need to clean a staircase” kept playing in Horsford’s mind, while battling the thoughts that she was too old to do something like this. 

After sharing her vision with her daughter and friend, their immediate encouragement spurred her on, and soon, she was co-ordinating the initial efforts to bring the initiative to fruition.

Main objective

“The primary objective of this effort is to address the proliferation of litter and the issue of overgrown vegetation along the multitude of public stairways situated throughout The Bluff,” said Horsford. 

First clean-up

Assembling her team of committed residents, including the RTL8 team who were keen to lend a helping hand, Horsford tackled her first staircase on Garmouth Road on April 2. 

Despite minor logistical challenges, including last-minute arrangements for the removal of collected waste, the team demonstrated remarkable cohesion, Horsford observed.

Also read: Volunteers clean up passage

“Everyone worked extremely hard to complete the staircase in one day. I did forget to arrange someone to remove the mess that we cleaned, but in seconds people were there to load the rubbish and dispose of it for us,” said Horsford. 

Project Elite aims not only to enhance the aesthetic appeal of The Bluff but also to generate opportunities for committed volunteers to secure an income.

However, Horsford underscored that the sustained viability of the initiative depends on the support of the community. 

“On my own, financially, I cannot do this forever. Support us to have our beautiful The Bluff back on track. Most importantly, support the people who proved they are willing to work. It may not seem like much, but it feeds a family,” said Horsford.

Supporting the cause

Residents interested in becoming involved can contribute through several avenues. Financial donations can be made into the project’s FNB account, account number: 62863191228. Additionally, people can volunteer their time or donate black bags. For more information or enquiries contact Elize Horsford on 072 338 0676.

For more Southlands Sun news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. You can also check out our videos on our YouTube channel or follow us on TikTok.

Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter and get news delivered straight to your inbox.