ZAC emphasizes the importance of a clean environment

Zululand Anthracite Colliery (ZAC), located in Mahlabathini, in Kwazulu-Natal, in conjunction with local community stakeholders runs Clean-up Campaign to coincide with World Clean-up Day.

On 15 September 2021, ZAC’s Stakeholder Relations and Environmental Departments, along with shop owners and community football tournament organisers spent the day removing litter outside the mine.  “The initiative was undertaken to promote responsible waste management, good housekeeping and to educate people about preserving the environment,” ZAC Social Development Manager Khumbulani ‘Skopion’ Masuku explained.

The participants spent the day collecting a variety of litter including bottles, paper wrappers and miscellaneous waste matter outside the mine’s main gate area, where shops are also located.

Masuku noted that a stakeholder meeting was organised by ZAC recently with affected shop owners as well as organisers of the local football tournaments to discuss the issue of the litter problem in the area. “We all need to make a concerted effort to ensure the area, including the soccer playing fields, are clean and tidy. Educating people to stop littering is critical to having a clean environment,” stated Masuku.  

World Clean-up Day, which takes place in September every year, sees people from around the world unite and join forces to clean up litter and waste from the environment.

“ZAC’s Clean-up Campaign sought to inculcate environmental awareness in the community, as well as to promote the benefits of a clean and healthy environment. This is in line with ZAC’s ethos of striving to reduce environmental degradation, maintain an environment which is not harmful to humans, animals and plants and minimise environmental impacts,” stated ZAC Environmental Superintendent Msawenkosi Buthelezi.

Buthelezi explained that the ZAC Clean-up Campaign included raising environmental awareness by explaining different kinds of waste, how to separate it correctly as well as benefits of waste recycling in line with National Waste Clean-Up & Recycle week, which ran from 13 -18 September 2021.

“ZAC’s long-term goal is to facilitate a full-scale recycling project for local communities to realise the goal of zero waste to landfill sites,” he concluded