GEORGE MUNICIPALITY SUPPORTS THE GRDM ILLEGAL DUMPING CAMPAIGN
Last week, the George Municipality heeded the call of Garden Route District Municipality to support the district municipality’s Anti-Illegal dumping campaign that was initiated by its environmental health practitioners together with various stakeholders to educate communities on the health effects of illegal dumping. The five-day campaign spanned from 13 to 17 February 2023.
In addition to a string of communication events and activities to amplify the message of combating illegal dumping, the Executive Mayor of George, Alderman Leon van Wyk released a message through a video to persuade the citizens of George to rally behind the fight against illegal dumping.
“The George Municipality supports the Garden Route District Municipality’s campaign against illegal dumping for the week of 13 – 17 February 2023. Our Community Services Department runs an ongoing campaign against illegal dumping where different teams clean open spaces in parts of George,” said Mayor van Wyk.
“Illegal dumping is anything you throw away in a place where it does not belong. If you throw your junk just anywhere, it will eventually become your problem in some way or another. Throwing stuff into sewerage drains, or flushing the wrong stuff down the toilet, will clog pipes and the sewerage will overflow into your neighbourhood.”
Mayor van Wyk encouraged the citizen of George to act responsibly and make use of the available resources to avoid illegal dumping. “Refuse is picked up in your neighbourhood once a week. Please put your waste inside refuse bags and keep them at your house until collection day.”
Meanwhile, the George Municipality’s Communication and Intergovernmental Relations division ran an awareness campaign using the Municipality’s communication platforms which consist of thousands of subscribers and followers. Messaging about illegal dumping was circulated on the Municipal Facebook page, Twitter, WhatsApp, App and website, to the local media on a daily basis during the campaign.
A radio talk was also broadcast on local radio stations to sensitise the public about the dangers of illegal dumping as well as the environmental repercussions if people do not stop illegal dumping. A feature on illegal dumping was also published in the George Herald, a local newspaper.
Let us all work together and stop illegal dumping, report illegal dumping to 044 801 6350.
Videos of Mayor Leon van Wyk on illegal dumping: English: https://youtu.be/KsEkZnp2Cm4 Afrikaans: https://youtu.be/hdqUtE5xwBs
Ends.