Cleanliness is not only about the city’s officials, but the community can also be involved.

Mangaung’s mayor partnered with several stakeholders to conduct a spring cleaning campaign at the N6 entrance and the South Park Cemetery on Friday (6/9) and drive this message home.

The campaign aims to restore Bloemfontein to its former glory, a clean city of roses, and for everyone to take responsibility for their city.

Free State Cheetahs players as well as the Marumo Gallants football club put on gloves and helped the EPWP participants with the cleanup.

“This is the spring cleaning campaign of the executive mayor because we are re-launching the presidential economic stimulus (PES) package for the cleansing of the city,” said Mangaung City Manager Sello More.

“The good thing about today is that we brought other stakeholders on board, we are saying cleanliness is not only about the city’s officials but the community can also be involved.

Rubbish bags pile up during the clean-up campaign. Photo: Zenande Mpame

“The two teams here today play here in the city and their involvement shows that this is their campaign and this is their city as well and we must work hand-in-hand to keep it clean,” he said.

In June, the municipality embarked on another cleanup at the canal leading up to Central Park, which over the years has become a centre for litter to pile up.

The campaign consisted of Central University of Technology (CUT), Vaal Central Water, and the Department of Economic, Small Business Development, Tourism, and Environmental Affairs (Destea) officials from various organisations and PES participants.

“For us as the Toyota Cheetahs it’s really a privilege and an honour to be part of the clean-up. We love the city, and the support we receive,” said Free State Cheetahs COO MJ Smith. “We love to give back and from our side and take hands with Marumo Gallants as well, just to be part of something great and make Bloemfontein a clean city.”

Meanwhile, Marumo Gallants FC’s just relocated to Bloemfontein, and said it’s important to them to have a working partnership with different stakeholders. “Today we are making sure that we clean and keep Bloemfontein and the Mangaung Metro clean,” said spokesperson and support liaison officer Sello Nduna.

They’re grateful to everyone who came out to support this campaign and worked together with the executive mayor to take back the city to its former glory, said MMC of Solid Waste Vuyelwa Jonas.

OFM News/Zenande Mpame dg