Mr and Mrs Grootbek recently taught Grootbek jnr to learn to pick up after himself.
It was a struggle at first, but the naughty four-year-old has finally taken to packing away his toys, and throwing his banana peels in the bin.
It’s nice to see.
The only problem is he’s now turned into a little, high-speed vacuum cleaner, sucking up everything in his immediate vicinity.
When the Grootbekke are out and about, he’ll run after every piece of litter on the street – even dirty cigarette toppatjies and makes a beeline for the nearest bin.
It can be exhausting, but at least he’s developed a good habit.
The little guy asked his pappa one day: “Daddy, why is the street so dirty?”
“It’s because people don’t throw away their rubbish,” explained Munier.
And it’s true.
The people of this city are generally litterbugs. They don’t care.
There’s rommel on every street, even right next to the bins.
After a day at the beach, there’s food and drink containers lying everywhere.
And you don’t want to see what the city looks and smells like after Tweede Nuwe Jaar.
It’s not like there’s a shortage of vullisblikke.
At least two communities on the Cape Flats are up to their eyeballs in refuse.
In Leonsdale, Elsies River, there’s a mountain of rubbish, and CPF chairperson Henry Nelson says residents are to blame.
“The problem is not the council or the ward councillor, it’s the people who [illegally] dump their rubbish,” he says.
Spokesperson for the City of Cape Town, Priya Reddy, says “illegal dumping happens throughout Cape Town, and the City spends close to R350 million per year addressing the problem”.
Hoor jy? R350 million. That’s how bad it is.
Mense, listen up. This is the Fairest Cape, with beautiful beaches, mountains, farms, parks and gardens.
It’s the Mother City and we are trashing onse ma se huis.
Nobody wants to live in filth and disease, so let’s take some pride in our city and keep our environment clean.
It starts with picking up your own litter, and getting your family to do the same.
Cleaner communities mean a cleaner city for all of us.
If you don’t already have a New Year’s resolution, make this it.
And while Munier is lecturing about the environment, don’t forget about the water shortage; it’s real.
Dam levels in the Western Cape are currently at 46 percent, even after a month of water restrictions.
And with the hot months still to come, things are going to get even more critical.
Don’t think that it’s not your problem, it’s everyone’s problem.
Again, it starts with you, your family and your community. Don’t waste water.
Take five-minute showers, don’t let the water run while doing dishes, don’t flush for no reason.
These are some good household habits that can make a big difference.
Bietjie bietjie maak baie.
Here’s to a happy, clean and fresh new year.