The Robben Island shoreline was buzzing with volunteers who came to clean up the UNESCO World Heritage Site on Saturday.

Robben Island Museum joined forces with various partners including the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment, SANParks, the V&A Waterfront, Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB), and Coca-Cola Peninsula Beverages for the clean-up on Saturday, September 14, ahead of International Coastal Clean-up Day on Saturday September 21.

Sabelo Madlala, environmental unit manager at Robben Island Museum, said this initiative supports the island’s Integrated Conservation Management Plan, which looks to minimise the risks to wildlife and habitats as well as to people and the built environment on Robben Island.

“It is an effort not only to address the impacts that global warming has on our environment, wildlife and marine species but also to encourage environmentally friendly practices. This ensures the preservation of our endangered wildlife species currently inhabiting Robben Island but from all around the globe as well" said Mr Madlala.

The first collaborative effort in 2019 was driven by a shared enthusiasm for environmental protection and raising awareness of the harmful effects of rubbish in coastal regions on marine life, which led to the cooperation between Robben Island Museum and Coca-Cola Peninsula Beverages.

Volunteers who took part in International Coastal Clean-Up Day operation with the bags of rubbish collected along the shoreline of Robben Island. PICTURE: BHEKI RADEBE

Volunteers came in numbers to take part in the coastal clean-up. PICTURE: BHEKI RADEBE

Volunteers get their hands dirty on Robben Island on Saturday. PICTURE: BHEKI RADEBE

Volunteers cleaning up on Robben Island between the spring flowers. PICTURE: BHEKI RADEBE

Rope, plastic and other debris were among the rubbish collected during the International Coastal Clean-Up Day operation. PICTURE: BHEKI RADEBE

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