By Sinegugu Ndlovu
Durban is filthy and will not be cleaned in time for the 2010 soccer World Cup, which has a "green policy".
This is according to concerned local artist Jenny Cullinan, who on Sunday held the Dirty Durban exhibition at the Durban Botanic Gardens.
The exhibition featured pictures of dirty places around the city taken by Cullinan and members of the public.
The areas included the beachfront, Durban University of Technology's Steve Biko Campus, Mahatma Gandhi (Point) Road, Wilson's Wharf and the Msinsi nature reserve.
Cullinan said the pictures were taken after the recent Durban Solid Waste strike had ended. She said the exhibition was intended to indicate that everyone should take responsibility for the city's cleanliness.
"The city is filthy and we can't blame Durban Solid Waste for the mess. Durban has a reputation for being dirty, and people in Johannesburg and Cape Town are talking about it.
We won't manage to clean up for 2010. It has a green policy and Durban has no beautification bylaws," she said.
Cullinan said the eThekwini Municipality was not to blame and was battling with the problem.
"What's gone wrong, because Durban was once a clean city? I was taught not to litter when I was growing up.
Smashing bottles is some sort of expression and I don't know why. We need to enforce beautification bylaws. Cape Town is doing it," she said.
Cullinan said the campaign would be renewed in 2009.