A new iniative hopes to address the prickly syringe needle situation in Bellville by using the bicycle.
The Voortrekker Road Corridor Improvement District (VRCID) has partnered with TB/HIV Care to launch the Step-Up Programme Bicycle Initiative.
Used syringe needles have been a thorny issue in Bellville for years (“Neeldes a prickly topic for Bellville residents,” 27/7).
At that time, the VRCID released a statement saying an estimated 67 000 to 75 000 people in South Africa inject themselves with drugs daily.
Many of these users are in Bellville’s CBD, where TB/HIV Care runs a programme where they give clean needles to drug users. This is to mitigate the risk of spreading diseases via dirty needles.
They only replace returned needles with new, clean needles.
Wilma Piek, the VRCID’s former head of social development, explained the thinking at the time: “The VRCID aims to destigmatise the preconception around drug users, not only to restore their dignity, but also to provide them with a safe space to mitigate the risk of HIV transmission.”
The users are supposed to take responsibility not to discard these needles in public parks. This has proven to be a problem, with many of these needles ending up in nearby residential areas, like Oakdale and Boston, with Oakdale residents hit especially hard. Residents have to pick up needles daily and have often voiced their concerns over children stepping on them or pricking themselves.
Blessing on a bicycle?
Despite a dedicated support line where residents could report discarded needles for TB/HIV Care to pick up, the problem has persisted. The new project sees people on bicycles who will pick up these needles on a full-time, daily basis.
“This initiative will ensure that no area is overlooked, maintaining a clean and safe environment for all,” the VRCID says in a statement.
“The Step-Up Programme bicycle will be instrumental in expanding the reach of the clean-up efforts throughout Bellville.”
They also call on residents to treat the person on the bicycle with respect “as he will work tirelessly to improve the cleanliness and safety of the streets”.
They also invite residents to call their offices to report needles.
If you see any needles, please contact the VRCID on 021 823 6713 so that the issue can be addressed promptly.
