An environmental organisation is on a mission to keep the district clean of ubiquitous litter and making sure that all illegal, informal refuse dumps become a thing of the past.
Ndondeni Environmental aims to turn illegal dumping sites into leisure parks where residents can relax and chill out on sunny days, and they have started with the first project in Mmatswale Extention 8 (Phase 3), in Musina.
"This area, which we are grading and turning into a park, was one of many spots that residents have turned into illegal refuse dumps," the chairperson of Ndondeni Environmental, Mr Pieter Singo, said. "All these bushy and smelly areas are public spaces and it only means that, even after we have cleared and levelled them into parks, they will be for public use."
Singo indicated that the goal of the organisation was the establishment of an integrated waste-management system that benefits local communities and the environment through job creation. "We keep our townships and villages in good environmental condition by cleaning, recycling, producing crafts from waste, composting and food production from organic waste," he said. "We have started the organisation after realising that the district is experiencing problem of littering and uncollected refuse."
He stated that the local municipalities did not collect refuse mixed with sand, rocks, steel or garden waste. According to him, this leaves the community with no option than to dump waste on open grounds and street sides. "Such acts cause illegal dumping sites that cause diseases and other health problems."
Singo said that, even though Ndondeni Environmental was currently based in Musina, it was not a project that envisaged bringing services and job creation to Musina people only. "We start small and grow bigger as we expand our project," he said. "We want to believe that all this will lead to a cleaner and healthier environment for us all."
The organisation has created short-term employment for a group of men and women. Ndondeni Environmental is supported by the Musina Local Municipality, the Department of Social Development and Limpopo Economic Development, Environment and Tourism.
Those who are interested in assisting Ndondeni Environmental can contact Singo at 078 039 4291.