Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality is placing litter bins in strategic areas in Gqeberha and Kariega to enhance the metro’s efforts to implement sustainable waste management solutions.
The Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Public Health, Thsonono Buyeye, said the roll out could not have come at a better time, as the metro is expecting to see more residents outdoors and tourists flock to the "Friendly City" over the summer season.
Buyeye said the project was an addition to the metro’s ongoing waste management and beautification drive, which is yielding positive results in areas including Korsten, Cape Road and the airport area.
Buyeye said the metro is not only embarking on making sure that the city is clean just because the summer season is approaching, but it is the standard that they want to keep.
“Bins play a major role in making sure that people do not litter. They must have an option of where to put their litter. This is part of our fight against illegal dumping that we continue to see in our city, but we are making sure that we win this battle as a city because cleanliness brings other positive spinoffs, as we are starting to see tourists coming into our city.
“We are going to see more people coming into our city and we want to make sure that the city is clean, and this is just a start. Central business districts (CBDs) in Gqeberha and Kariega will be prioritised together with beach front areas as an influx of residents and visitors are expected in these areas,” Buyeye said.
Public Health Executive Director, Sizwe Mvunelwa, also underscored the importance of cooperation from both residents and visitors in keeping the metro clean.
"We just want cooperation from the residents and visitors for them to work with us so that we can keep our metro clean. The municipality will roll out the project in phases in an effort to reach all communities. We don’t want any littering. We are providing the necessary receptacles,” Mvunelwa said.
Motherwell water maintenance shutdown
Meanwhile, the municipality said the city is still experiencing water disruptions in Motherwell due to challenges encountered during pipe welding on Monday.
This follows a planned 24-hour water maintenance shutdown, which was scheduled for the Motherwell Reservoir on Tuesday.
The municipality said the teams have successfully installed two bulk water meters on the 600mm and 800mm pipelines and a new air valve.
“Our contractor is finalising the welding work and we aim to restore water supply by midday [on Wednesday]. Water trucks will be dispatched and their locations will be shared shortly. We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused by these disruptions. However, these efforts will bring long-term benefits by enhancing the operational capacity of the infrastructure,” the municipality said.
The municipality reiterated that the work is part of the municipality’s water demand management strategy, which will ultimately strengthen water resilience in the region. – SAnews.gov.za
