While the rest of the country was celebrating Easter weekend, the Makhado SAPS, in collaboration with the Makhado Community Policing Forum (CPF), the Makhado Municipality and the Youth Against Crime, embarked on a cleaning operation in Louis Trichardt.

According to the spokesman for the Makhado Municipality, Mr Louis Bobodi, the campaign was in line with the municipality´s strategy to keep the town clean and to create a healthy environment. He thanked the Makhado SAPS, Youth Against Crime and the Community Policing Forum who initiated the campaign.

According to the secretary of the CPF in Louis Trichardt, the cleaning campaign was also aimed at keeping young people busy so that they would not involve themselves in criminal activities during the Easter weekend. “We also wanted to create a mutual understanding between the Makhado SAPS and the communities it serves,” he said.

He added that it was high time that young people started to get involved in community work, not necessarily with the police, but also in other projects, so that they can gain skills and knowledge and also refrain from engaging in drug and alcohol abuse, teenage pregnancies and criminal activities.

The areas that were cleaned included the CBD, Eltivillas, the industrial area, old town and the padkamp.

Bobodi urged community members and all the residents of Louis Trichardt to keep the town clean at all times. “We are encouraging people to use the permitted dumping sites, so that we can follow a strategy of reduce, re-use and recycle,” said Bobodi.