Focus turns to clean cities

A national programme, Clean Cities and Towns, was launched in Alexandra and Ivory Park, with a day spent planting trees and repainting road markings.
ROADS were marked and trees were planted in Alexandra and Ivory Park during the launch of the Clean Cities and Towns programme in Gauteng on 7 September.

Part of the Clean Cities programme is greening the environment (Photo: Enoch lehung, City of Johannesburg)Part of the Clean Cities programme is greening the environment (Photo: Enoch Lehung, City of Johannesburg)The programme will run until 2014 and is an initiative of the national Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs. It is aimed at educating municipalities and communities about environmental care and waste management.

On the day, the member of the mayoral committee responsible for corporate and shared services, Mally Mokoena, planted a ceremonial tree and joined other officials in repainting faded road markings. Accompanying Mokoena was the deputy chief Whip, Justice Ngalonkulo.

Dressed in orange overalls, Mokoena spent the day with other City officials helping general workers paint road markings, mostly along busy streets used by buses and taxis. They painted stop signs, traffic circles and speed humps to make them visible and safer for motorist and pedestrians.

Piloted in Alexandra and Ivory Park, known as hotspots for illegal dumping, the central purpose of the Clean Cities and Towns programme is to beautify cities and towns across South Africa, and in the process attract the public and private sector to do business, and so create jobs.

Cutting health and safety risks are other objectives; also targeted are illegal dumping sites and refuse removal efforts.

The initiative promotes an integrated multi-stakeholder approach. The collaborative aspect of the programme will help a focus on vulnerable municipalities, to increase awareness of clean cities, clean air and a safe environment.

At present, municipalities, provincial governments and national departments have fragmented environmental projects, which usually have a minimal and unsustainable impact.

Steering committee
A provincial steering committee for the programme has been announced by the executive manager of co-operative governance responsible for cities and towns, Fortunate Makhubu.

Roads are marked (Photo: Enoch Lehung, City of Johannesburg)Roads are marked (Photo: Enoch Lehung, City of Johannesburg)It will comprise representatives from various government departments, including the Premier’s Office, tourism, environment, agriculture, forestry and fisheries.

The committee will ensure that municipalities implement sustainable environmental projects, as well as ensure people are educated about the preservation of the environment and recycling of waste material.

Co-operatives
In another endeavour to encourage communities to take an active role in keeping their environment clean, the Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs has proposed that co-operatives are set up in all municipalities.

“It is very important that the government is not alone in such campaigns. Incentives are very important to get community buy-in. Establishment of co-operatives will not only provide that incentive but will also promote entrepreneurship in communities,” said Makhubu.