MRCT Hosts 9th World Cleanup Day Event in Fisantekraal
Fisantekraal, Cape Town — The Mosselbank River Conservation Team (MRCT) once again brought the community together for its 9th World Cleanup Day event in Fisantekraal, continuing its commitment to protecting local waterways and creating greater awareness around waste management and environmental responsibility.
This year’s cleanup focused on an open space in the heart of the Fisantekraal community, an area significantly affected by illegal dumping. Waste dumped in open spaces can easily make its way onto surrounding streets and into stormwater channels, eventually entering the Mosselbank River. By tackling litter at its source, community cleanups play an important role in preventing pollution from reaching the river and surrounding ecosystems.
Over a period of just two hours, 160 bags of waste weighing a total of 763 kilograms were collected from approximately 25 square metres of the identified area. The waste included plastic bottles, plastic and cardboard packaging, chip packets, grocery bags, glass bottles, food wrappers and discarded clothing. The latest event adds to the significant contribution made by MRCT and its volunteers over the years. Across the MRCT's previous eight World Cleanup Day events, a total of 5.7 tonnes of general waste and 1,032 recyclable items have been collected.
Investing in the next generation
A total of 174 volunteers registered for this year's cleanup, with strong participation from children and young people. Among those who registered, 63 volunteers were between the ages of 10 and 19, while 81 were between the ages of 4 and 9.
The high level of youth participation provided an important opportunity to move beyond simply removing litter and instead focus on education and long-term behaviour change.
During the event, the City of Cape Town’s Bingo visited the volunteers and engaged them on the message of “Rethink, Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.” Volunteers also learned more about the impacts of littering and how everyday choices can contribute to pollution.
Education and awareness are essential components of addressing waste in communities. While cleanups are important for removing existing litter, reducing waste at its source requires people to understand how waste is generated, how it can be avoided or reused, and why responsible disposal matters.
Teaching children and young people about these principles from an early age can help establish positive environmental habits that extend beyond a single cleanup event. By encouraging the next generation to rethink their consumption, reduce unnecessary waste, reuse materials and recycle where possible, communities can work towards preventing pollution rather than simply responding to it.
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