By Nangamso Mabindla
17 September 2008

CLEANING was the order of the day when Buffalo City waste management officials kicked off the annual clean-up campaign across the municipality.

The City, in partnership with the Amathole District Municipality, the Institute for Waste Management of Southern Africa, and Buyisa-e-bag will be educating communities and schoolchildren about the importance of recycling.

Nosi Skweyiya, the assistant manager in the City’s waste management directorate, said the partners would visit schools around the city to teach learners about recycling. The campaign began on Monday, 15 September.

“In previous years we collected litter with the learners; however, this year the schools will collect litter and put it in waste bags, then we will be able to focus on educating them about the importance of recycling,” Skweyiya said, adding that this education would ensure sustainability of the project.

Yesterday was the turn of Mdantsane schools. “We start very early so that we can achieve our target of visiting six schools per day. [Today] we will be in the Ncera area in Tsholomnqa,” she added.

However, schools were not the only focus; taxi ranks would also be targeted during the campaign.

On Friday, 19 September, the campaign will conclude with a formal event at the Gompo Hall in East London where officials from the City and the provincial government and a representative from Buyisa-e-bag will speak about the importance of having a clean environment.