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14 May 2019

Family beach clean-up challenge

Kailene Pillay (The Mercury) Picture: A DURBAN family dedicate their free time to cleaning up the beach. Hard at work are dad Rolan Moodley and mom Keveshini, along with sons Ye-rell and Seyon, and daughter Malaya. Tumi Pakkies African News Agency (ANA)

DURBAN – A Durban North family who took it upon themselves to clean the Saratoga Beach in La Lucia are now challenging other families to do the same in their areas.

Rolan Moodley, his wife Keveshini and their three children Ye-Rell, 10, Seyon, 6, and Malaya, 4, have been cleaning up the beach every day since the devastating floods that hit Durban last month. The family, who frequent the beach to play and relax, said they were devastated when they saw the amount of litter and filth along the coastline after the flooding.

“When we came to the beach the day after the flood, this place was covered in debris, plastic, cigarette buts and fishing tackle. My children were the most enthusiastic to clean the area that they love, so since then, we’ve been down here cleaning up,” Rolan Moodley said.

Instead of celebrating Mother’s Day with the usual lunch and gifts, the family were on Saratoga Beach early on Sunday to continue the clean-up operation.

Moodley said they had filled more than 20 large bags with rubbish and were still busy picking up more litter. A part-time car guard in the area, Siyabonga Mthembu, joined the family in their efforts. He said he had found it so inspiring to see the children care so much for their environment that he decided to help them.

Moodley added that people who visit the Saratoga Beach also need to play a role by cleaning up after themselves.

Now, the family are challenging other families in the area and those who live along the coastline also to clean up their beaches.

“Everyone needs to take responsibility for their areas. If we start teaching our children from now to clean up after themselves and we set a good example for them, our environment could be saved,” Moodley said.

He also called on the municipality to assist by providing concrete bins and sorting out the sewage spillage at the beach.