Following cries for help from hospital staff at Aspiranza Clinic, the community of Buffalo Flats extension set to work, clearing bushes and cleaning up to curb rising vandalism and chronic dumping of waste in the bushes around the clinic.
Nurses from the clinic reached out to business owner and philanthropist Simone Klaasen for assistance and, with Klaasen’s efforts, donations from across the country came streaming enabling Klaasen to hire help to assist with grass cutting and bush clearing.
“The community has been amazing by sending cash donations, a very few that live there helped and most of it came from people that don’t live there or live in another city.
“We are paying five gents to help us and they need money just to eat so it’s a beautiful way of helping each other.
“What we need is for the community living there and especially those going to the clinic to take ownership and help to keep it clean and neat.”
Spokesperson for the Eastern Cape department of health, Yonela Dekeda said, “The Aspiranza Clinic has been plagued by wanton vandalism of its infrastructure, in most cases without clear benefits to the culprits but rather signs of frankly antisocial behaviour.
“Grounds that are not well kept are an eyesore, are not safe for patients or staff and may be breeding grounds for rodents and snakes. They also make it easy for vandals and criminals to hide.
“The Buffalo City Metro health subdistrict, under which the clinic falls, procured grass cutting equipment and uses roving teams to cut grass at clinics.
“Where there are challenges like when some of the equipment is broken, private grass cutting companies are procured to provide the services.
“We acknowledge that at times, the grass cutting schedule is not always on par with the growth of grass and bush, hence the initiative of a local community is much appreciated.
“The initiative by the members of the public who contributed towards assisting Aspiranza Clinic is appreciated and applauded by the department.”
Klaasen and volunteers Brent Lazarus and his team have been cleaning up at the clinic on weekends for the last three weeks and to further their work they are in need of more volunteers and any other financial contributions community members are able to make.
Klaasen said, “I think we can all agree that we need to take ownership of our facilities.
“What I hope is that once finalised, the community will maintain it, start a vegetable garden on the premises and sell fresh produce to help maintain the garden and facility.
“The funds generated could pay for a grass cutting service, a helper to clean the garden and someone to paint the clinic. The community could create a little library for kids who sit there with parents for long periods.”