Mandela Day clean-up in ‘Jurassic Park’

YOLANDE DU PREEZ|Published 2 years ago

Hoisting Port Jackson branches up the hill is hard work. From left, are Logan Satini from My Father’s House, volunteer Reynard Scholtemeyer and Dulan Gates from Happy Valley Shelter.

The smell of boerewors rolls filled the air at My Father’s House, a community food kitchen in Simon’s Town, on Saturday, while civic organisations, non-profits, and members of the far south community joined forces to remove litter and alien vegetation from a piece of land at the foot of Admirals Waterfall, known locally as Jurassic Park.

The clean-up was in aid of Mandela Day, on Monday, July 18, and was a joint operation by the Simon’s Town Civic Association, the community police forum, Green Group, Blue Ribbon Eco Warriors, Simon's Town Amenities Development Company (STADCO), Project Noordhoeked, Happy Valley Shelter, Take Back Our Mountains, and My Father’s House.

My Father’s House board secretary Dylan James said about four tons of litter and three tons of Port Jackson were removed from the property. The Port Jackson, he said, was taken to feed goats in Noordhoek.

Participants were given a free coffee by My Father’s House upon registration, and litter sticks, wet wipes, and black bags were provided by Take Back Our Mountains, while the civic association sponsored the boerewors rolls, to keep energy levels up, and a local supermarket sponsored drinks.

Doing their bit for the environment, from left are, Simon’s Town resident Sigrid Lassen, Take Back Our Mountains (TBOM) member Reza Salie, Blue Ribbon brand ambassador Carina van den Heever, TBOM founder Taahir Osman, My Father’s House board secretary Dylan James, TBOM member Imraan Honey, volunteer Meke-eel Norton, volunteer Amy Delo Carolus and Blue Ribbon Eco Warrior Julian Carolus with TBOM member Keith Poggenpoel in the back.

Braving the steep decline from left are Evana Bhamusi from the Simon’s Town Civic Association, volunteer Mervin Christians and Seean Farquhar from Simon's Town Amenities Development Company (STADCO).

Volunteers with some of the litter that was collected.

Volunteers loading Port Jackson branches on the back of a trailer. The branches were taken to Noordhoek to feed goats.