Durban - ETHEKWINI mayor Mxolisi Kaunda led by example and rolled up his sleeves yesterday to promote cleanliness in the city as a means of attracting tourists for the upcoming festive season
Kaunda, together with Speaker of KwaZulu-Natal Legislature Nontembeko Boyce, led a number of MPLs and councillors in a clean-up campaign on Durban’s beaches on Wednesday.
The campaign, which was organised by the legislature and the city, was aimed at promoting cleanliness and the protection of the environment, particularly as the province edges closer to the festive season.
Kaunda said that litter, including plastic and paper, had a huge negative impact on biodiversity and marine life.
He said they had noted that the larger river systems carry loads of rubbish which eventually ended up on the city’s beaches.
He said booms, which acted as litter catchers, were being installed on rivers.
“This campaign also shows that we are responsive to climate change as a city,” he said.
Kaunda also said that they would be targeting township areas within the city to promote cleanliness.
He further stated that they would also be focusing on maintaining the city’s ageing infrastructure, which includes fixing drainage systems.
The mayor also cautioned tourists and residents to obey lockdown regulations, as the pandemic was far from over. He said the eThekwini district still remained the epicentre of the province, with a high number of Covid-19 cases.
“It is important that people continue to behave and adhere to the regulations. As the holidays are coming, we need to behave responsibly and work together to welcome tourists into our city,” added Kaunda.
According to Boyce, eThekwini remains the biggest tourist attraction area in KZN and the biggest tourism economic hub in the province.
She said that the campaign was also a platform to educate people about the importance of the environment.
“Looking at the pile of rubbish that was picked up today, it’s a clear demonstration that there are people who still need to learn about the importance of recycling. EThekwini is an internationally acclaimed city as a holiday destination,” she stated.
The Mercury