Our Ward Matters

17/06/2026

Monday, 15th June

Our Ward Matters was out in full force in Helen Joseph this Monday
The team started at the corner of Flamboyant Street and Helen Joseph, cutting grass, clearing veld, and opening up overgrown areas to help prevent veld fires, illegal dumping, and crime using brushcutters, spades, and pangas to tackle thick vegetation and restore visibility in the area. We ended near the car wash, Blikkies vol Liefde, and behind the houses in Kwartel Crescent.

As we continue our work, the team is also picking up rubbish from BP Garage, moving further up Helen Joseph.

One of the biggest concerns we found was the amount of rubbish, dumping, and evidence of individuals staying against residents' walls. Their belongings are clearly visible in the bushes near Arend Road and Helen Joseph, highlighting an ongoing safety concern for residents living in the area.

By opening these spaces and maintaining them, we improve visibility, discourage illegal activities, and create a safer environment for motorists, pedestrians, and residents alike.

Hundreds of residents use this road every day. Whether driving to work, taking children to school, or travelling through the area, the visible difference is there for everyone to see.

Please continue supporting our community clean-ups. To keep making a difference, we need:
Petrol
Brushcutter line
Heavy-duty refuse bags
Equipment servicing and maintenance

Together we can keep our communities clean, safe, and beautiful.

Our Ward Matters
André van Dyk
Ilse du Preez
With Cllr Tanya Rothman

16/06/2026

Sunday, 14th June ❤️

We received a beautiful donation from a very kind-hearted person. She wishes to remain anonymous, and we will gladly respect her wishes.

This post is simply to say thank you and to remind others that kindness, love, and generosity still exist in our community.
The donation included overalls and safety boots for every OWM team member. On Monday, after work, we handed them out to the team, and the smiles on their faces said it all.

For many, these are more than just overalls and boots they are a sign that someone sees and appreciates the hard work they do every day to keep our communities clean, safe, and beautiful.

To our anonymous donor: thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Your generosity has made a real difference and lifted the spirits of our entire team.
"Kindness is never wasted. The smallest act of generosity can make the biggest difference in someone's life."

Our Ward Matters
André van Dyk & Ilse du Preez

13/06/2026

10th & 11th June
Cllr Tanya Rothman and Michael Rothman led and supervised the Our Ward Matters team over the past two days.

The team started by picking up rubbish throughout Ward 17, as littering remains one of the biggest challenges facing not only our Ward but many others as well.

The team also focused on Nylapies, where they debushed overgrown areas to improve safety, visibility, and keep the Rivers area neat and well maintained.
A special thank you to TotalEnergies Garage for sponsoring petrol for the clean-up. With their support, the team was able to cut and maintain the water canal behind the garage and clean areas where individuals often hide or stay.

The team also started cutting grass in Helen Joseph, improving visibility and safety for motorists, pedestrians, and residents whose properties border these overgrown areas.

With veld fire season approaching, our goal is to keep Helen Joseph and other priority areas clean, safe, and maintained before the dry season arrives.
Change doesn't happen overnight, but together, step by step, we are making a difference.
Please support our community clean-ups.
We are in need of:
Petrol
Brushcutter line
Equipment maintenance and other operational expenses
Only together can we create lasting change.

Our Ward Matters
André van Dyk
Ilse du Preez
With Cllr Tanya Rothman

12/06/2026

Celebrating my 2nd year on Facebook. Thank you for your continuing support. I could never have made it without you. 🙏🤗🎉

12/06/2026

We stay humble because we truly love our home and care about our people.
We don't do this to look good. For more than 4 years, Our Ward Matters has continued non-stop, building a cleaner Rustenburg, caring for our environment, and improving the safety of our communities.

We believe in consistency, hard work, and serving others without expecting recognition.
A heartfelt thank you to our supporters, our dedicated team, and to Myrtle and Platinum Weekly Newspaper for sharing our journey.
Together, we are proving that small actions, done consistently, can create lasting change.

Our Ward Matters
André van Dyk
With Cllr Tanya Rothman

09/06/2026

Months of Hard Work Paying Off – Kruger Bridge Project

From the first week of January 2026, Our Ward Matters, together with Cllr Tanya Rothman and Cllr Jean Keyser, started focusing on the problem areas next to Rustenburg Baptiste Kerk at Kruger and Wildevy Avenue, and later the area opposite Wildevy Centrum near Moepel Avenue.
When we started, Lepelhout Avenue and the surrounding veld were heavily affected by illegal squatting, dumping, overgrown vegetation, public drinking, and criminal activity. Squatters were living against residents' walls, and many residents felt unsafe.

Month after month, we continued pushing forward. Public Safety assisted by removing illegal squatters, while Our Ward Matters kept returning to clean, debush, cut grass, remove dumping, and maintain the areas.

This Sunday, I received a message and video showing RLM and Public Safety (Law Enforcement) hard at work near Moepel Substation. The blue illegal structure is gone, and other structures near the fallen tree and alongside the highway have also been removed.

A special thank you to Jacque from Wildevy Centrum, who sponsored petrol and refuse bags. After a meeting, the OWM team arrived equipped with chainsaws, pangas, brushcutters, and wheelbarrows, ready to assist by removing hiding places, cutting branches, and opening up areas around the bridge.

There is still work to be done. Next to Rustenburg Baptiste Kerk, illegal squatters remain under the large tree, and residents continue to report concerns about drug use and public drinking in the area. We remain committed to protecting our environment, supporting local businesses, and improving the safety of residents.

We would also like to thank Cllr Luan Snyders for stepping in and assisting us in addressing this ongoing issue.
Standing at Kruger Bridge today and looking at both sides of the project fills me with pride. What was once overgrown, hidden, and neglected is now open, visible, and far safer than before.
Consistency. Planning. Taking hands.
That is how real change happens.

"Great things are not achieved in a day, but through people who care enough to keep showing up, keep working, and keep believing that a better community is possible."

Our Ward Matters
André van Dyk
With Cllr Tanya Rothman

09/06/2026

Monday, 8th June

Our Ward Matters tackled two key areas in Kremetart Avenue near Manuka Avenue, focusing on the open veld leading towards Kruisbessie and Waterbessie.
The team used brushcutters to clear the overgrown grass while also picking up dumping and litter throughout the veld. We continue to maintain this area for the safety of residents, as overgrown spaces often become hotspots for illegal dumping, criminal activity, and individuals hiding in the reeds and bushes.

This is not a dumping site. We encourage residents to report illegal dumping and suspicious activities when they see it. Together we can protect our environment and keep our communities clean and safe.

A special thank you to RLM Waste Department, who found our team working in the street and assisted by loading the refuse bags. Your support makes a real difference and helps us keep moving forward.

Team Two focused on the corner of Klopper and Koorsboom, where they opened a storm drain and used spades to remove the overgrown grass growing into the road. The team also cut grass around the substation and worked into the surrounding veld.

While the work is not yet finished, the difference is already clearly visible. Step by step, we are restoring these areas and creating safer, cleaner spaces for residents.

Our Ward Matters
André van Dyk
Ilse du Preez
With Cllr Tanya Rothman
RLM Waste Department

08/06/2026

07/06/2026

Project Civitas – Taking Hands for a Cleaner Community 🤝

Early on Saturday morning, volunteers gathered at the Care Centre in Cuckoo Avenue, ready to make a difference. We were also joined by Natasha Ribeiro from Platinum Weekly, who came to cover the project.

Marli du Plessis and Christel Herbst from the Care Centre, together with their volunteers, joined Our Ward Matters Directors André van Dyk and Ilse du Preez, along with six OWM team members.
Marli opened the morning with prayer, after which we quickly discussed the plan and divided into teams.

Team One focused on picking up rubbish throughout the area, helping to educate and demonstrate the importance of keeping our environment and community clean.

Team Two started painting road markings from Elandsrivier to the STOP street near the Care Centre, making use of the road paint we had available. They also painted street sign poles and STOP signs using a generous donation received for this project.

A special thank you to The Paint Palette for their donation and support, helping us improve the visibility and appearance of the area.

Team Three focused on cutting grass and debushing from the higher sections of Cuckoo Avenue, past Paula's Guest House, and down Tortelduif Street. The team worked on both sides of Tortelduif, improving visibility, enhancing safety, and beautifying the area.

Many residents use this road daily as a shortcut to and from work. By opening up overgrown areas and maintaining visibility, we are helping create a safer environment for motorists, pedestrians, and residents. This is an area we will continue to maintain going forward.
We would also like to thank Cllr Tanya Rothman for arranging a skip through RLM Waste Department. A special word of appreciation goes to Koketso and Brian from the Waste Department for keeping us informed and taking hands with us on a Saturday to ensure a skip was delivered so that branches and rubbish could be removed.

This project did not start on Saturday. In the days leading up to the event, the OWM team, together with Cllr Tanya Rothman, had already been hard at work cutting grass and debushing from Waterberg and Cuckoo, behind Waterfall Mall, through Augrabies and Cuckoo Avenue, down Cuckoo Avenue, and into Elandsrivier. By planning ahead and preparing the area, we were able to make Project Civitas a great success.

While OWM focused on clearing and maintaining the area, Marli and her team focused on picking up litter and teaching the importance of caring for our environment, keeping our neighbourhoods clean, and not littering.

This project showed what can be achieved when community organisations, volunteers, residents, and local government work together towards a common goal.

"A cleaner community doesn't happen by chance—it happens when people care enough to take hands, serve others, and leave every place better than they found it."

(Please note we still waiting for our video that the Care Centre will post and other photos they took...so more posts will pop up 😉
Platinum Weekly Newspaper also took photos and covered the story.)
Care Centre Rustenburg – Project Civitas
Marli du Plessis and Christel Herbst & volunteers
Our Ward Matters Team
OWM Directors
André van Dyk & Ilse du Preez

07/06/2026

Thursday, 4th June

Our Ward Matters, together with Cllr Tanya Rothman, tackled Timbati Veld, keeping the grass short, neat, and well maintained. The team also worked at the corner of Nylrivier and Apiesrivier, cutting grass and picking up litter in the area.

Our focus remains on keeping Ward 17 and the Rivers area clean, safe, and beautiful for residents to enjoy.
Regular maintenance prevents overgrown areas from becoming dumping sites, improves visibility, enhances safety, and helps protect the natural beauty of our community.

As petrol prices and other operational costs continue to rise, we need your support more than ever. Every donation helps us continue maintaining our Wards and making a visible difference.
Together we can keep our community clean, safe, and beautiful.

Our Ward Matters
André van Dyk
Ilse du Preez
With Cllr Tanya Rothman