Councillors call for city clean-up ahead of marathon

WITH less than 50 days to go before the Diamond and Dorings Kimberley Big Hole Marathon — where 3,000 athletes are expected to participate — Sol Plaatje Municipality councillors have called for a thorough cleanup of the city.

- SANDI KWON HOO

ANC councillors recommended that all potholes and illegal dumping sites be addressed before athletes arrive on November 22.

They added that they would wake up at 3am on race day to remove any bottles and other litter left around drinking spots the night before.

Speaker Dipuo Peters said it was necessary to inculcate a culture of cleanliness.

“Every time an area is cleaned up, people see it as an opportunity to dump and litter and deliberately make the city dirty. Let us abide by the bylaws before thousands of people flock to the city and see things that we do not see,” she said.

The marathon is touted as the second-biggest road race in the country, with prizes totalling R1.2 million.