R200 million has been spent by the national government to help clean the streets of the Mangaung Metro Municipality. More than 2,000 volunteers gathered at Bloemfontein's Southern Landfill site on Friday to clean up the area around the dumping site and the South Park Cemetery.

During the launch of the Municipal Cleaning and Greening Programme and Separation of Waste at Source Pilot Project, led by Makhotso Maggy Sotyu, were the Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment, Pinky Kekana, Deputy Minister in the Presidency, Maqueen Mathae, Free State MEC for Community Safety, Roads and Transport, and Gregory Nthatisi, Mangaung Executive Mayor, among others.

Gregory Nthatisi, the Mayor of Mangaung, alongside Pinky Lebitso, the Coca-Cola Beverages representative. Picture: Kekeletso Mosebetsi

Sotyu disclosed her department spent R200 million in Mangaung to help with service delivery challenges. The department recruited 2,100 volunteers who will be paid a R2,700 monthly stipend with a 12-month contract, while R68 million was spent on the fleet which was handed over to the metro.

Workers will also have Unemployment Insurance Fund benefits after the duration of the stipulated contract, and a compensation fund if they are injured on duty. 

The metro has received two tipper trucks and now has ten in total, eight bakkies with eight drivers and eight supervisors.

R68 million was spent on the fleet which was handed over to the metro. Picture: Kekeletso Mosebetsi

Sotyu said the project, launched by the metro, will also be taken to other municipalities throughout the country. Meanwhile, Nthatisi welcomed the help from Environment Affairs and said the lack of resources and the growth of the city contributed to the shocking state of service delivery in the metro.

Mangaung Metro volunteers, recruited by the Mangaung Metro, during the clean-up campaign at Bloemfontein's Southern Landfill site. Picture: Kekeletso Mosebetsi

One of the volunteers incorporated into the programme, welcomed the initiative and said it came at the right time and would help her provide for her family, especially now with the high unemployment rate in the country.

OFM News/Kekeletso Mosebetsi                                   Daphné