Residents take back neglected streets
When parts of Benoni started showing the telltale signs of long-term neglect — overgrown verges, blocked drains and faded road markings — a group of neighbours decided not to wait for municipal action. Clean Projects, formed in 2023 by resident Alison Etherington and her husband, has been steadily transforming public spaces across the city with hands-on maintenance, gardening and beautification work, according to a report by GoodThingsGuy.
Small acts, visible change
The organisation focuses on routine but essential tasks that often slip through the cracks: clearing overgrown grass, freeing kerbs buried by litter and soil, refreshing road markings and painting street numbers. Volunteers also unblock storm drains and remove illegally dumped refuse from key gateways into town. These are the kinds of interventions that reduce local flooding risk, keep pavements usable and improve street safety for pedestrians and drivers.
Community garden and youth involvement
Clean Projects recently opened a community garden at the Celia Nestadt/O’Reilly Merry circle, an effort that brought residents together with gloves and spades to plant shrubs and seasonal blooms. The initiative also enlisted students from St Dunstan’s College to take part in a spring painting project that transformed old tyres into colourful planters, creating a brighter streetscape for passers-by, GoodThingsGuy reported.
“Clean Projects really have brought a completely different energy to our streets. It’s the kind of care you feel the second you drive through town – waking up to freshly painted kerbs, cleared pathways, and actual colour where there used to just be overgrown weeds and litter,”
said Benoni resident Jenine Delport in the report.
What volunteers have been doing
- Clearing overgrown grass and reclaiming sidewalks
- Freeing buried kerbs and repainting road markings
- Unblocking storm drains and removing illegal dumping
- Creating and maintaining a community garden at Celia Nestadt/O’Reilly Merry circle
- Partnering with St Dunstan’s College students for public-art and planting projects
Local impact and wider context
Simple maintenance work can have outsized benefits for urban neighbourhoods. Cleared pathways and visible kerb markings make streets safer for pedestrians and motorists; unblocked storm drains reduce the risk of localised flooding during heavy rains; and green spaces and colourful public art can lift community morale and discourage littering. The Clean Projects model — small teams, regular action and involvement from schools — aims to keep interventions sustainable rather than one-off clean-ups.
How residents can get involved
GoodThingsGuy’s report highlights the volunteer spirit behind Clean Projects, but it does not outline a formal membership process. Residents keen to help should watch local social media pages and community noticeboards for planned working bees, or contact the group via their public Facebook posts. Schools and community groups are also potential partners, as demonstrated by St Dunstan’s College’s involvement.
| Activity | Intended benefit |
|---|---|
| Clearing overgrown grass | Improved pedestrian access and visibility |
| Unblocking storm drains | Reduced flooding and water pooling |
| Community gardening | Greener public spaces and community ownership |
| Painting kerbs and planters | Better road safety and improved streetscape |
As Benoni prepares for seasonal rains and ongoing urban pressures, civic-minded groups like Clean Projects show how local action can complement municipal services. The work is practical and visible — a broom and a paintbrush replacing complaints — but the volunteers say it also signals something deeper: residents taking back responsibility for the quality of shared public spaces.
GoodThingsGuy reported the initiative and its recent activities in Benoni; the group was founded in 2023 by Alison Etherington and her husband and has partnered with St Dunstan’s College for recent projects.
