South Africa is set to witness a large-scale cleanup effort as President Cyril Ramaphosa prepares to announce an official Nationwide Cleanup Day, a bold initiative aimed at mobiliZing communities and government structures alike in the fight for a cleaner, healthier environment.
The announcement was confirmed by Deputy President Paul Mashatile during his visit to the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality in the Free State, as part of the broader Clean Cities and Towns Campaign. The Deputy President stated that the President will soon declare a specific day dedicated to community cleanup efforts, with all South Africans – from cabinet ministers to ordinary citizens – urged to participate.
“We’ll dedicate time on the day that the President will indicate… for particular hours in the day, we work with our communities, and we clean,” said Mashatile.
More Than Just Picking Up Litter
The campaign, launched in Kliptown, Soweto in June, is about more than aesthetics. It embodies a multifaceted approach that integrates community hygiene, infrastructure repair, and service delivery improvement, with a focus on both urban and rural areas.
The initiative’s Free State rollout was held under the theme:
“Bontle Ke Botho: A Free State that works for all – Building clean and sustainable communities.”
This theme underscores the core message: building civic pride through cleanliness and sustainability.
“We’re not just picking up papers,” Mashatile emphasised. “This campaign is going to be combined with repairing and modernising things dealing with challenges like potholes, fixing roads, and repairing infrastructure.”
Schools, Municipalities and National Government Involvement
The campaign also includes engagement with schools, aiming to instill a long-term culture of cleanliness in South Africa’s youth. Weekly cleaning days are planned, with active participation from local residents, schools, and all levels of government.
Mashatile acknowledged that many municipalities face financial and capacity challenges, but stressed that the campaign would not be left solely to local authorities.
“Some municipalities are not able to perform critical services because they don’t have an economic base,” he said, adding that the “whole of government” approach would bring together national, provincial, and municipal resources.
Climate Action and Social Cohesion
The initiative is also closely linked to South Africa’s climate commitments, contributing to efforts to reduce environmental degradation, build community resilience, and promote social cohesion.
As Deputy President Mashatile pointed out, the lack of basic waste management infrastructure like public bins and regular waste removal leads to widespread illegal dumping, especially in underserved areas.
“If we don’t do that, they start throwing [waste] everywhere,” he said.
The Clean Cities and Towns Campaign is expected to expand to all provinces, creating a unified national effort to improve living conditions and community wellbeing across the country.
Through this initiative, the government aims to reawaken the spirit of civic duty and shared responsibility, one cleaned street, fixed pothole, and revitalised neighbourhood at a time.
