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 saves Germiston from sewage stench

The smell of sewage that hung over Tedstoneville, Elsburg and Elspark is now a thing of the past, thanks to AfriForum’s Germiston branch. This follows after the branch, in collaboration with the Ekurhuleni Metro, intervened to have the sewage disposal site in Lower Boksburg Road near Delmore Park professionally cleaned.

AfriForum’s Germiston branch and neighbourhood watch recently received several complaints about the stench, and after an investigation, it was found that the nearby approved sewage disposal site is not being properly managed and that the access control and security that are supposed to be done by the Ekurhuleni Metro are lacking.

A similar situation faced residents in parts of Germiston in 2020. At that stage, the Metro intervened and appointed security to ensure that contractors using the site complied with the prescribed rules for the dumping of sewage, originating from various informal settlements in Boksburg and Germiston. This intervention ensured responsible dumping and cleaning, but access control and management of the site have since been suspended, much to the frustration of residents in the surrounding neighbourhoods.

Last week, the Germiston branch collaborated with private service provider Express Toilet Hire to clean the site. Weekly cleaning operations will now continue, and other contractors will also be involved to clean the surrounding site.

Meanwhile, AfriForum also entered into discussions with the Metro last Wednesday and insisted on the reinstatement of adequate security and access control on the site. In response to these discussions, security and access control have been resumed since last Friday.

According to Elzabé Pretorius, Chairperson of AfriForum’s Germiston branch, the intervention of the branch and the involvement of Express Toilet Hire have turned the smelly business into a success story.

“This action confirms the critical value of cooperation between the community and local businesses. AfriForum will now continue to monitor the situation and ensure that the Metro fulfils its responsibility,” concludes Nadia Olckers, AfriForum’s District Coordinator for the East Rand.

Get involved with your nearest AfriForum branch today and make a real difference in your community. Visit www.wordlid.co.za for more information.