Government officials and residents joined a Love Your Street clean-up in Thembisa, linking illegal dumping, poor lighting and neglected public spaces to community safety concerns today.
Minister in The Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni joined government officials, civil society organisations and community members in Thembisa as the Love Your Street programme moved its focus to cleaner and safer neighbourhoods.
Armed with brooms and refuse bags, participants cleaned areas around the Thembisa South Police Station and targeted illegal dumping sites identified as problem areas in the community.
Ntshavheni said responsibility for safer neighbourhoods had to be shared between municipalities and residents.
“It’s all our responsibility. At Brand SA we say: ‘Everyone must play their part’,” she said.
She called on municipalities to clear overgrown vegetation and improve street lighting, including through solar-powered alternatives where possible.
“Make sure that the environment is safe, and it’s fully lit for women and children to be able to walkabout safely,” Ntshavheni said.
The campaign carries added significance following the recent discovery of the bodies of several women in Thembisa.
Ntshavheni said some of the women had been found at illegal dumping sites, reinforcing concerns about neglected public spaces becoming safety risks.
The clean-up forms part of government’s broader response to gender-based violence and femicide through what it describes as “safety by environmental design”.
The approach focuses on improving public spaces through better lighting, clearing overgrown areas and removing illegal dumping sites that can become unsafe or difficult to monitor.
“We want to make sure that the police station is deemed as a safe space for women and for communities,” Ntshavheni said.
Campaigners cleaned the area surrounding the police station before moving to other dumping hotspots.
Illegal dumping remains another major focus.
Ntshavheni urged residents to make use of municipal refuse collection services rather than dumping waste when household bags become full.
“This is not only a call to the municipality. We are here to solicit a partnership with communities to curb illegal dumping,” she said.
The Love Your Street campaign was launched earlier this year by The Presidency and the Government Communication and Information System and aims to strengthen community participation in keeping neighbourhoods clean and safe.
It builds on the Clean Cities and Towns campaign launched in 2025 and focuses on closer cooperation between municipalities and communities around service delivery challenges.
The initiative also links with the Presidential One Billion Trees programme, with tree planting forming part of efforts to improve public spaces, environmental sustainability and climate resilience.
Ntshavheni said tree planting should also contribute to safer and more usable community spaces.
“We want to have places where we gather; places that are safe and we want an environment and air that is clean,” she said.
Schools were also encouraged to play a role in building environmental responsibility among learners through activities such as vegetable gardens and community beautification programmes.
For government, the Thembisa activation is intended to show that street cleaning, lighting, vegetation management and community safety are closely connected.
“When it’s clean, it’s also safe. When it’s safe, it’s conducive for women and children to thrive,” Ntshavheni said.
