JEFFREYS BAY will be all hustle and bustle on Friday, May 31 when Kouga Municipality hosts its first combined beach and town clean-up.
“We’d like to call on all residents, businesses, schools, churches, retirement villages and interest groups to join us for the programme,” said Kouga Executive Mayor, Horatio Hendricks.
“Two beach campaigns will be taking place, as well as a general clean-up of the town’s business precincts, suburbs and parks.
“The aim is to unite and beautify Jeffreys Bay ahead of the JBay Winterfest, the biggest annual international showcase for the town.”
Hendricks said the beach campaigns would take place from 09:00 to 12:00.
“We will be covering the entire coastline from Paradise Beach to Kabeljauws.
“One group will start at Paradise Beach and the other at the Kabeljauws Estuary mouth. Both groups will work their way towards Dolphin Beach.
“The Paradise group will cover about 7km of beach and the Kabeljauws group 5,5km,” he said.
He said businesses, schools, churches, complexes and property-owners were also urged to clean and tidy their premises and surrounds on the day.
“This means that even those who cannot join the beach campaigns, can still contribute to the programme by focusing on their immediate surroundings.
“In addition to litter-picking, participants are welcome to trim trees, mow grass, remove illegal dumping, collect recyclables or paint and repair public facilities,” he said.
All participants are asked to bring along their own cleaning equipment, be it brooms, shovels or spades. Water, gloves and hats are also essential.
Those who want to arrange their own clean-up actions on Friday will be able to collect black bags from the municipality’s Waste and Environmental Management section on Thursday. Black bags will also be handed out at the starting points of the beach campaigns.
Residents can further pledge their support through donations, be it paint or money, or by making their equipment and vehicles available to the campaign on the day.
“The more hands we have on deck, the more spectacular the outcome will be,” Hendricks said.
“The municipal cleansing teams and community groups have been doing a great job to beautify JBay. We want to build on those efforts and move the Keep Kouga Clean campaign up a gear,” Hendricks said.
Participants are further asked to share photos of their activities for the day on social media, with the hashtag #KeepKougaClean.
For more information or to make a pledge, email Nomvelo at nsiwela@kouga.gov.za, Christa at cventer@kouga.gov.za or Athe at amaqolo@kouga.gov.za.
Contact the municipality’s Waste and Environmental Management section at 042 200 2200.
