Buffalo City
The Adopt-a-Spot project was implemented by APSIRE on behalf of the Department of Environmental Affairs. The aim was to improve the environment management in various areas of BCMM through a waste management strategy to eradicate illegal dumping. The project entails turning dumping areas into productive land (e.g. planting vegetables).
The programme objectives include the creation of a clean, safe and healthy environment in order to:
• Attract tourists
• Encourage job creation
• Influence the mindset of Buffalo City residents to take pride in the Metro and maintain the city.
The Adopt-a-Spot project is part of a broader programme which will include the following activities:
• Street sweeping and gutter cleaning along pavements and open spaces in East London and King Williams Town.
• Clearing of Illegal dumps
• Awareness campaigns
• Erection of “No Dumping” signs
• Operation Coca (cleaning campaign).
A Memorandum of Agreement was signed in June 2014 between ASPIRE and the Department of Environmental Affairs. This project is valued at R10 000 000 and is aimed at assisting Buffalo City Metro (BCM) in its attempts to identify illegal dumping sites, clean them up, and develop vegetable gardens for food security for the city.
The activities to be undertaken by ASPIRE in execution of the project will cover 11 areas within the Metro, including Dimbaza, Zwelitsha, Ginsberg, Cambridge Location, Scenery Park, Amalinda Forrest, Reeston, Mdantsane NU 1,3, Duncan Village and Highway Gardens.
While this project is the first of its kind for ASPIRE, it is in line with the ASPIRE funding model which was adopted during the year under review. Through this initiative ASPIRE will receive 7% of the project budget as implementer’s fees. These funds will be reinvested in the ADM.
Over the course of the implementation of the project, the following was achieved:
• A total of 5 illegal dumping spots were rehabilitated and 4 vegetable gardens were planted, with a total of 6,000 m2 of land cleared
• >180 beneficiaries were employed in the project.
