By: Nomatshawe Bangani
In an effort to pursue a clean city, Buffalo City Metro Municipality Executive Mayor Xola Pakati and Deputy Executive Mayor Zoliswa Mathana launched the build-up campaign for the Clean and Safer South Africa Campaign.
The programme saw the Executive Mayor and leadership of the Municipality cleaning up the streets in Duncan Village and the Executive Deputy Mayor, her delegates and school learners picking up litter at Mzamomhle location.
In addressing the learners at Mzokhanyo Senior Secondary School in Duncan Village, Pakati said the campaign is an awareness to put across the message of a environmentally friendly city. He encouraged the learners to keep their communities clean and to also take the responsibility of alerting the municipality and the councillor if their refuge has not been collected.
“We have dedicated this day for the purpose of cleaning various townships in Buffalo City Metro and have also decided to deal with illegal dumping sites and removing uncollected garbage in all the townships.”
Pakati said they will be launching buy-bag centres, where they will be targeting schools to recycle refuge and sell it to benefit directly financially.
Deputy Mayor Mathana said the intention of the campaign is to educate young people on the importance of cleanliness starting at school and taking it home. She said they decided to bring the campaign to school learner as they play a huge role in littering.
“As a municipality alone it would be impossible to clean the city without the involvement of the community members who are affected, that is why we are starting the campaign in schools.”
Ward 27 councillor Boy-Boy Khalani said that to ensure that this campaign continues in schools, a ward committee member will be allocated to each school to monitor the progress weekly.
The three week build-up programme held in participation of the launch at the end of February, will see communities in Mdantsane, King Williams Town and Bhisho being cleaned up by the Executive Mayor and his delegate.