By Levy Masiteng
Minister in The Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni rolled up her sleeves in Kwa-Thema, Ekurhuleni, on Tuesday, joining residents and local officials in cleaning streets and planting trees as part of the government’s Love Your Street service-delivery campaign.
Ntshavheni led government officials, civil society representatives and community members in activities aimed at improving the local environment and encouraging residents to take greater ownership of their neighbourhoods.
Ntshavheni first participated in a tree-planting ceremony at Mfana Majova Freedom Square, where Freedom Trees were planted as a symbol of remembering the past while investing in the future.
She later joined street-cleaning activities alongside Ekurhuleni MMC for Community Services Siyabonga Moloi and Ward 78 councillor Sizwe Nhleko.
The visit came at a sensitive time for Kwa-Thema and the wider Ekurhuleni community following the discovery of the bodies of women in the area and growing concerns about safety.
Government has said environmental improvements, including clearing overgrown vegetation and illegal dumping, form part of measures aimed at improving neighbourhood safety.
“The Love Your Street campaign encourages communities and municipalities to clean, maintain and improve local environments, including addressing overgrown grass and illegal dumping,” the government’s Inter-Ministerial Committee on GBVF said.
Government, however, stressed that the campaign does not remove municipalities’ responsibility for reliable refuse collection, maintaining open spaces and ensuring adequate lighting.
The Kwa-Thema programme included a briefing, tree planting at Indaba Tree Heritage Park and a cleaning service-delivery activation at Masimini Primary School in Deep Levels.
According to the government, the initiative forms part of broader efforts to promote community pride, active citizenry and clean and safe neighbourhoods, as well as the Milestones of Freedom campaign launched by President Cyril Ramaphosa in June.
The Love Your Street campaign has previously been taken to communities including Manenberg and Khayelitsha, where Ntshavheni led similar cleaning and community-engagement activities in May.
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