Coming Together for a Cleaner Future: 8th World Clean Up Day in Fisantekraal

On 20 September 2025, the Mosselbank River Conservation Team (MRCT) joined millions of people worldwide in celebrating World Clean Up Day. What began in 2018 as a global call to action has grown into a powerful movement that unites citizens, communities, and organizations in tackling the problem of waste head-on.

For MRCT, this event is close to the heart of our mission. We are dedicated to the health of both our community and the Mosselbank River, and World Clean Up Day is the perfect opportunity to put those values into action. Over the past seven clean ups in Fisantekraal, our volunteers have removed an incredible 5.5 tons of general waste and 1,032 kilograms of recyclables from the environment. That’s real, measurable impact.

Group photo of all the volunteers. A sincere thank you goes to every individual who dedicated their time and energy to this year’s clean up. Together, we are proving that small actions, multiplied by many, can transform our environment.

A Day of Action and Learning

This year, over 150 people rolled up their sleeves to make a difference. Of those, more than 70 were children and teenagers. Seeing young people between the ages of 4 and 19 getting involved was especially inspiring. Clean ups aren’t just about removing waste—they’re about teaching the next generation that their choices matter, that they have power, and that caring for the environment is a responsibility we all share.

Our focus was on the open spaces around the Eastern Tributary of the Mosselbank River. Litter from these areas often ends up in the river, carried by wind and rain, where it eventually flows downstream to the ocean. Volunteers also worked directly in the river itself, where we found a shocking amount of plastic chicken packaging. Thanks to our team’s determination, eleven bags of plastic were pulled from the river that day.

By the end of the clean up, we had filled 237 bags of waste weighing more than a metric ton. Everything from plastic bottles and chip packets to diapers, garden waste, and even prescription pills was collected. The good news? 55 kilograms of this waste will be recycled, proving that even small acts of separation can have lasting benefits.

Volunteers at World Clean-up Day

Why Your Involvement Matters

Community clean ups are about much more than a single day of picking up trash. They’re about building pride, responsibility, and unity. Every person who participates is taking ownership of their environment and setting an example for others. When neighbors, families, schools, and businesses all come together, the ripple effect spreads far beyond the event itself.

Each bag of litter collected represents cleaner rivers, healthier oceans, and safer spaces for wildlife and people. Just as importantly, it shows children that they can make a difference—and that lesson will carry forward into their adult lives.

Your involvement is what transforms these efforts into a movement. Without citizens stepping up, change simply doesn’t happen at the scale our environment needs.

MRCT Members and Event Coordinators

A Heartfelt Thank You

We could not have achieved this without our incredible partners and sponsors: PlasticsSA, the City of Cape Town, the Department of Water and Sanitation, the Durbanville Lions Club, and the Pebble Project. Their support empowers us to keep pushing forward in the fight against waste.

And of course, the biggest thank you goes to our volunteers. You are the reason the Mosselbank River is healthier today than it was yesterday.

If you’re inspired by this story and would like to be part of the change, we invite you to join us. Together, we can continue to protect our river, our community, and our planet.

👉 Learn more and get involved: www.mosselbankriverconservationteam.com