Multi-facetted clean-up operation in Winston Ridge Park
WINSTON RIDGE – Friends and family united to help clean up Winston Ridge Park.
February’s A Re Sebetseng saw multiple City of Joburg utilities as well as community members gather to clean up Winston Ridge Park.
The bright Saturday morning (16 February) united residents in the joint effort to ensure their park is clean and safe. The clean-up was organised by the Athol Residents and Ratepayers Association and was headed up by resident Jean Baillie who had contacted City of Joburg’s Region E integrated service delivery manager, Phindi Lethoko to help coordinate the operation.
Lethoko explained that the nature conservation team of City Parks and park rangers participated to ensure a well-organised clean-up. A site visited was conducted with Metro police, private security officers and park rangers exploring the park to remove any displaced people who often live along the banks of the river. The displaced people were asked to collect any of their personal items such as IDs or passports so that the area could be cleaned up and their informal dwellings demolished.
Lethoko said, “It is a difficult situation for all involved. It needs constant monitoring by park rangers.”
Ward 74 councillor Dave Fisher, who was also present said, “Consistent monitoring [of the park] would see better adherence to the by-laws. [Parks] are meant to be for the community and because we have displaced people living here it tends to discourage use of the park.”
Aside from the onsite operation, families and friends had a blast running around the park collecting litter and for some ‘reclaiming the park as their own’.
“A Re Sebetseng takes place every third Saturday, if anyone is interested in participating, please contact me as I am able to properly coordinate resources such as gloves and bags,” concluded Lethoko.
Details: Phindi Lethoko, phindil@joburg.org.za
Also check out:
https://sandtonchronicle.staging.lnn.caxton.cloud/195125/city-joburg-gears-city-wide-clean/
https://sandtonchronicle.staging.lnn.caxton.cloud/210840/aresebetseng-speaker-da-gama-public-get-hands-dirty-video/
