30/10/2026
đź“° | ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND MANAGEMENT IS A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY
Rehoboth Town Council calls on residents and stakeholders to take collective responsibility for a cleaner and healthier town.
Rehoboth Town Council continues to strengthen its commitment to environmental health, sanitation and community development through initiatives aimed at promoting responsible waste management and building a cleaner, healthier town.
Recognising that environmental cleanliness is directly linked to public health and quality of life, Council, through its Local Economic Development (LED) and Community Services Department, is implementing programmes that combine public education, community mobilisation, improved waste management practices and occupational health measures.
Mobilising communities through the Mayoral Clean Where You Live Campaign
A key component of these efforts is the Mayoral Clean Where You Live Clean-Up Campaign, launched in May 2026. Running throughout the year, the campaign seeks to mobilise residents, businesses, schools and community organisations to take collective responsibility for maintaining clean neighbourhoods and public spaces.
Council has also strengthened partnerships with community organisations, including The Helping Souls in Block H, Block Home and the Lions Club, to conduct cleaning activities and promote awareness of sanitation, personal hygiene and responsible waste disposal.
Through organised community initiatives, Council further supports local cleaning activities by providing refuse bags, gloves and masks, subject to availability.
Investing in Environmental Awareness Among Young People
To promote long-term behavioural change, Council’s Environmental Health Division, in collaboration with the Office of the Mayor, has established Rehoboth Environmental Clubs at all four high schools in town.
Rehoboth Junior Councillors serve as ambassadors for these clubs, encouraging learners to become advocates for environmental protection and responsible waste management.
These initiatives provide an important platform for educating young people and communities on sanitation, personal hygiene and the safe disposal of household waste, including used sanitary products and disposable diapers.
Council reminds residents to securely wrap used sanitary pads and diapers before placing them in appropriate refuse containers for collection. Such waste must never be discarded in open spaces, riverbeds or drainage channels. Open burning is also strongly discouraged due to the associated health, environmental and fire risks.
Strengthening Services and Protecting Employees
Council maintains an established refuse collection schedule, with Volstruisvlaktes serviced on Fridays. Residents experiencing missed collections are encouraged to report these incidents to the Environmental Health Division for follow-up by Environmental Health Practitioner Assistants.
Council has also been selling refuse bins since 2025 and continues to encourage households to acquire suitable waste containers to ensure hygienic storage and efficient refuse collection.
Council’s commitment to environmental health extends to the employees responsible for waste management. The Environmental Health Division has a Medical Surveillance Programme for employees working in high-risk environments, providing health screening and appropriate support. Council is also pursuing arrangements for Hepatitis B vaccinations for relevant employees.
Addressing Challenges and Strengthening Institutional Capacity
Council acknowledges the financial and operational challenges associated with maintaining an effective waste management system. Nevertheless, efforts are ongoing to improve service delivery and strengthen the town’s waste management infrastructure.
Council has submitted concept notes and funding proposals to potential development partners and funding institutions to support improvements to the waste disposal facility and the procurement of appropriate waste management machinery and equipment.
Council is also working towards finalising its Solid Waste Management Policy and Occupational Health and Safety Policy to strengthen the institutional framework governing waste management and employee protection.
A Call for Responsible Citizenship
“Environmental health and managing our environment is our mandate as Council, but we cannot do it alone. We need all our stakeholders and residents to work with us to keep Rehoboth clean and healthy.
I want to particularly appeal to residents to take personal responsibility for the disposal of household waste. Used baby diapers and sanitary pads belong in refuse bins, not in our streets, riverbeds and public open spaces.
As women, mothers and parents, we must reflect on the example we set and the environment we leave for our children. It is concerning and disappointing to see used diapers and sanitary pads dumped in public spaces. We need to change our attitudes towards waste management and recognise that keeping our environment clean begins with individual responsibility.
Council appreciates every individual, organisation and community group that continues to support these efforts. I want to extend a special word of appreciation to the men and women who work under the hot sun to clean our streets and public spaces. Their efforts deserve our respect and cooperation.
However, it is equally discouraging when the same areas cleaned by our teams are used as illegal dumping sites again the following day. This undermines the work being done and shows a disregard for the collective efforts of our community.
We are faced with financial and operational constraints, but we remain committed to doing our part. We therefore appeal to residents not to take Council’s cleaning efforts for granted. Let us protect what we clean, dispose of waste responsibly and report illegal dumping whenever it occurs,” said Miss Desire Pieters, Public Relations Officer and Acting Strategic Executive for LED and Community Services.
Council further advises that it is working towards introducing and enforcing appropriate regulatory measures and penalties for illegal dumping, subject to the applicable legal and institutional processes.
Rehoboth Town Council remains committed to progressively improving environmental health and waste management services. However, maintaining a clean town requires the active participation of every resident.
Through continued cooperation between Council, residents, businesses, schools and community organisations, Rehoboth can build a cleaner, healthier and more environmentally responsible future.
A cleaner Rehoboth begins with YOU. Clean Where You Live!
