#VegEnBou week: AfriForum creates hope in Standerton  

AfriForum’s Standerton branch held its #VegEnBou week in the town from 7 to 11 September. Branch members, volunteers, local businesses and school learners worked together throughout the week to clean up the town and create hope in the community that is especially burdened with poor service delivery and large-scale pollution.

Nearly 500 trucks drive through Standerton daily and the Lekwa Local Municipality is failing in its duty to maintain the town’s busy roads. That is why approximately 300 bags of tar were used to repair the roads.

Road signs surrounding the Laerskool Standerton were also given a new coat of paint to ensure the safety of learners.

The dangerous Bethal-Standerton intersection was safeguarded thanks to affixing road reflectors and erecting road signs. The branch’s youth wing also cleaned-up the area surrounding the intersection and tidied up the Voetspore Monument near the town.

Numerous potholes were repaired during the week and concrete street name blocks were also replaced. Members of the branch and the youth wing also held a big clean-up project at the River Park and more than 25 trees were planted at these five schools in the town: Laerskool Standerton, Hoërskool Standerton, Laerskool Kalie de Haas, Standerton Primary School and Laerskool Jeugkrag.

A patrol was held during which 18 patrollers covered approximately 115 km, while safety audits were executed at, among others, the Laerskool Standerton, Hoërskool Standerton and Laerskool Kalie de Haas. The branch also spoiled local businesses with lunch from Kabous Pizza and handed out 160 boerewors rolls at the Kosmos Home for the Aged.

The branch would like to thank the following businesses and schools for their help and continuous support during the week: Midas, Mica, Spar, Kruger & Associates, Clear Water Plumbing, Ola Standerton, Kabous Pizza, Mr Soapy, Valerie’s Florists, Dandelion-J Coffee Shop, The Guest House, Happy Plastic, Standerton Bag, Oasis Water, Classics Signs, Pro Sport, Ons Winkel Standerton, Lekwa Clean-up Group, Compass Real Estate Brokers, Engen Sonlig petrol station, Appledew Guest House, Bliss Studio Photography, Carmen Motors, Stanfin Pharmacy, Meat Masters and the Laerskool Standerton.

“It was gladdening to see how the Standerton community worked together to create hope in the town,” says Bronwen Pretorius, AfriForum’s District Coordinator for the Highveld.