Parents with their children, and directors and members of the Kalk Bay St James Special Rating Area and Ratepayers’ Association, joined Clean C and Petco on the clean-up of the train tracks between St James and Muizenberg railway stations on Sunday 5 August.
They were also joined by the Baywatch Neighbourhood Watch. Everyone gathered in the morning at the St James station, where they were issued with bags and gloves for the task at hand.
Before the clean-up a safety briefing was given and then the clean-up between the railway tracks started.
Plastic bottles, domestic dirt, papers and tin cans were gathered and sorted to recycle at a later stage. The “cleaners” were informed that the plastic bottles could be used as ecobricks filled with the papers that were gathered.
George Kiewiets, Metrorail special project manager for the Western Cape region, says that between 60 and 80 bags were collected.
“The day was about safety, action and commitment to make a difference and beautify the rail precinct between St James and Muizenberg,” he says.
Natasha Smith, the City’s office manager of Area South, oversaw the project and she was very excited about the attitude of all present on the day.
“We held the day in preparation for International Coastal Day on Sunday 16 September and to keep the rail precinct clean to showcase it to our tourists,” she says.
International Coastal Day is held once a year and last year it was held on Sunday 2 August. Smith was also amazed at everyone’s cooperation to adhere to the safety application during the campaign.
The next clean-up between St James and Kalk Bay will be on Sunday 30 September. Kiewiets invites all residents to the second clean-up.