Who and what is AfriForum?

AfriForum is an Afrikaans civil rights organisation that protects the rights of minority groups at national as well as provincial level, and anyone who can identify with AfriForum’s principles and objectives may join the organisation. AfriForum’s community plan focuses on mobilising communities to thus take control of their own streets and neighbourhoods again. AfriForum ensures that your constitutional and civil rights are recognised and protected at national level.

Wie en wat is AfriForum?

AfriForum is ’n Afrikaanse burgerregteorganisasie wat die regte van minderheidsgroepe op sowel nasionale as provinsiale vlak beskerm, en enigiemand wat met AfriForum se beginsels en doelstellings kan identifiseer, mag by die organisasie aansluit. AfriForum se gemeenskapsplan fokus daarop om gemeenskappe te mobiliseer om só weer beheer terug te neem oor hul eie strate en woonbuurtes. AfriForum verseker dat jou grondwetlike én burgerregte op nasionale vlak erken en beskerm word.

AfriForum branch removes 5 tons of sand in front of Oranje-Noord Primary School and tackles a range of other projects

Earlier this month, AfriForum’s Upington branch cleared away a mound of sand – weighing approximately 5 tons – that the local municipality had left right in front of the main entrance to Oranje-Noord Primary School. The sand posed a safety risk to learners, as it was situated right by the school’s pedestrian crossing.

According to Werner Strauss, AfriForum’s Regional Coordinator in the Northern Cape, the municipality had gathered the pile of sand here several months ago but failed to remove it. He emphasises that the location of the sand pile on the busy Schröder Street – where learners must use the road and pedestrian crossing, especially before and after school – posed a threat to the safety of the learners, making its removal necessary.

This cleanup was just one of several projects that this AfriForum branch has undertaken since the beginning of the month at local schools and in other parts of the town. In another project, the branch cleared the grounds between Hoërskool Duineveld and Oranje-Noord Primary School. This area is approximately the size of one and a half rugby fields. The grass was cut, and about 6 tons of grass clippings along with 60 bags of refuse were cleared away.

Other projects undertaken by the branch in Upington over the past two weeks include:

mowing the grass and clearing the grounds in front of the Gordonia Clinic on Schröder Street;
sanding down and repainting 40 concrete markers near schools to improve road safety for motorists and pedestrians;
repairing a water leak in the industrial area, where thousands of litres of water were being wasted;
repainting an electrical box in Quarry Street that had been defaced with graffiti; and
the repainting of a storeroom at a park on the corner of Quarry and Wildebees Streets.

Arnel van der Merwe, branch member responsible for environmental affairs at AfriForum’s Upington branch, emphasises that community involvement and practical action are essential for restoring the town’s public spaces and keeping them in good condition.

“We don’t believe in just sitting around and complaining when public spaces deteriorate. We believe in rolling up our sleeves, making plans, and personally making a difference. Every bag of rubbish collected, every patch of grass mowed, and every water leak repaired contributes to a better environment for our community,” says Van der Merwe.

Practical community involvement brings change

According to Strauss, the involvement of businesses and residents of Upington in the projects of this AfriForum branch makes a massive difference to the feasibility of initiatives undertaken for the benefit of this Northern Cape community.

Fit-It Upington serves as a prime example of a local business joining forces with AfriForum to develop the town, says Strauss. The business recently made its pickup truck available to the branch to haul away collected refuse and grass clippings. “This support has made a substantial contribution to the success of the projects,” says Strauss.

“The branch also recently received a range of new equipment, including a chainsaw and a brush cutter. This equipment is already helping us tackle various improvement projects with greater ease; it will also enable us to carry out future maintenance projects more efficiently, thereby further expanding the branch’s capacity to serve the community,” Strauss emphasises.

The positive attitude and willingness to collaborate shown by the Upington branch’s new leadership – elected at the end of September – are already yielding results. “We have a winning team that is ready to join hands and work together. When people contribute their time, energy, and expertise, we can achieve great things. We are grateful to every management committee member and supporter who helps make these projects a success,” concludes Strauss.

Get involved today

AfriForum’s Upington branch invites the community and local businesses to get involved with the branch and, in doing so, make a tangible difference in Upington by cleaning up public spaces, curbing water wastage, and promoting a tidier and safer environment for residents. Visit www.wordlid.co.za for more information.