MMC for Environment and Agriculture Management, Ziyanda Zwane hard at work removing waste. Picture: Supplied
With many open spaces increasingly becoming hot spots for illegal dumping, the City of Tshwane has mobilised individuals and businesses to adopt them for the purpose of maintaining and beautifying them.
MMC for environment and agriculture management, Ziyanda Zwane, said the initiative was made possible by the City’s policy known as the Adopt-a-Spot programme, which encourages residents, businesses and non-profit organisations to adopt a piece of municipal-owned land for maintenance and keeping it clean.
Those interested in adopting a piece of land can do so within a specific time frame not exceeding two years and 11 months at no cost to the municipality.
Zwane said: “The policy responds to one of our strategic priorities of maintaining a clean and protected natural environment. It aims to encourage the public to take care of the environment by removing illegal dumping, cutting grass, removing alien vegetation and performing overall maintenance of parks and other public open spaces.”
He recently met with partners at various spots that are already adopted under the Adopt-a-Spot programme in Lynnwood in Region 3.
“I was very pleased to observe the work that has been done at the spots I visited in transforming them from undeveloped public spaces into beautiful and well-maintained parks. I encourage others to follow suit and to not let open spaces deteriorate or be turned into illegal dumping sites,” he said.
Illegal dumping has long been a thorn in the City’s side despite its enforcement of by-laws which include imposing heavy fines on transgressors.
Clearing tons of waste from illegal dumping sites costs the municipality millions of rand every year.
Zwane encouraged more partnerships with businesses and public members to ensure that the environment was protected and that municipal properties were safe and accessible by all Tshwane residents and visitors.
“Application forms for the Adopt-a-Spot programme are available from regional offices and can also be downloaded from the City’s website. More information on the programme is available at adoptaspot@tshwane.gov.za or at 012 358 8814/8328/8869,” Zwane said.
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