By Lloyd Govindsamy
Former president and struggle icon, Nelson Mandela once said: “It is in your hands to create a better world for all who live in it,” and that is a quote lived by the Community Police Sub-forum (CPSF) of Trenance Park in Verulam.
The team recently rolled-up their sleeves to not only fight crime but to also rid the area of lingering waste and litter that has become an eyesore. While taking a break from community policing, the CPSF team were hard at work beautifying Trenance Park New Phase on Saturday,16 July, as their contribution to the Mandela Day initiative.
CPSF spokesperson, Kovillan Naidoo said the team takes great pride in their community and wanted to clean up as much as possible to ensure their area is safe and healthy. He said: “It was a major collaborated effort from the community, Trenance Park library members, the CPSF and our PR Councillor, Jerome Zondi as well as Parks and Gardens. All these role players provided selfless service. Although it is expected that one provides 67 minutes of their time, this initiative took over three hours in commemoration of how much our beloved Madiba did for us, it is our duty as citizens to do what we can for our community.”
Naidoo said they chose to do a clean up due to how often they’ve noticed residents using the entrance of Cottonwood Drive “as a dumping ground”. “These residents generally throw out paper, plastic and other household refuse making the entrance to our community a complete eyesore. We’ve held a number of service delivery protests but there were no results. Another factor that keeps our community on high alert is the unmaintained nature reserve. Our biggest issue here is that trees and other vegetation is overgrown. It’s unsurprising that we face a lot of criminal activity with crimes such robbery being a major issue. When a suspect breaks into a home or steals copper pipes it becomes very easy for them to get away if they head towards the nature reserve,” said Naidoo.
He said that part of the initiative was to clean and trim the bushy areas along the nature reserve. “If you were to take a relaxing drive through Trenance Park now you’d would notice how much better the community looks. The feeling of cleanliness would surround you and you’d have the feeling of civic pride. We are still planning to have trees out of our reached trimmed so that this becomes a better community for all.”
With crime and illegal dumping being a major problem facing these residents, Naidoo said it came as no surprise to have all stakeholders eager to conduct a clean up. He said: “Dumping is arguably our biggest shortfall. What many don’t understand is that as residents dump more and more, it doesn’t just become an eyesore and complete health hazard but these heaps of rubbish along the fence of the nature reserve obscures visibility making it much easier for criminals to hide or get away. Also, when people leave their rubbish out on days that DSW don’t collect it, all kinds of wildlife get attracted and these bins are opened strewing rubbish on the roads, parks and bushes.”
To the community’s surprise officials from Parks and Gardens assisted with a truck and 100 plastic bags, “A resident also assisted with over 50 gloves which helped us tremendously with the clean up. We managed to pick up so much that the municipal four-ton truck needed to take three loads of rubbish and rubble to the depot,” said Naidoo.
CPSF Chairperson, Belinda Francis, said what started as 67minutes of selfless service turned into a three hour clean up project that turned what was once an eyesore into a beautiful, clean and neat area. “We all took the initiative to clean up the entrance and surrounding area of Trenance Park New Phase. It was truly an inspirational event that saw people from different backgrounds coming together to fulfil a common goal. Together we achieved so much in a short space of time. Cutting down bushes that once was a haven for criminals and cleaning up illegal dump sites were not just a civic duty but a task that left us feeling better as a community. Residents need to be aware that what starts as an easy disposal of garbage, turns into an eyesore for the entire community. Well done to everyone, I’m sure we made Madiba proud,” added Francis.
