Tshwane’s Solomon Mahlangu Road looks a little different from Wednesday, 04 February 2026, as brooms, reflective vests and community spirit take centre stage in a major Roads Cleaning Campaign led by the Gauteng Province Department of Roads and Transport.
The campaign forms part of the provincial government’s long-term vision under Growing Gauteng Together 2030, an initiative aimed at building cleaner, safer and more inclusive communities through active citizen participation.
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At the helm of the day’s activities was Honourable MEC Kedibone Diale-Tlabela, who was working alongside residents, officials and community stakeholders in a visible show of leadership and shared responsibility. The campaign is not only about removing litter and debris from a key arterial route in Tshwane; it is about restoring pride in public spaces and reinforcing road safety for motorists, pedestrians and public transport users alike.
Solomon Mahlangu Road, one of the city’s busiest corridors, connects communities, businesses and institutions. Keeping it clean and safe is both a practical necessity and a symbolic act, one that underscores the idea that infrastructure care does not rest on government alone but thrives when citizens step forward as partners.
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“Clean roads are not just about appearance; they are about dignity, safety and economic activity,” Managing Director of VEA Road Maintenance and Civils Thoko Tshabalala-Shandu said ahead of the event. “When communities and government work side by side, we create environments that reflect respect for one another and for the future we are building together under Growing Gauteng Together 2030.”
The collaboration between VEA Road Maintenance and Civils and the Gauteng Province Department of Roads and Transport aimed to jointly identify priority routes and conduct on-site inspections of both ongoing and planned projects. These inspections proved invaluable in highlighting operational challenges such as traffic flow inefficiencies, road safety concerns, maintenance backlogs, and workforce morale, enabling coordinated and timely interventions.
The engagement was attended by key stakeholders, including the MEC for Roads and Transport, Gauteng Traffic and other departmental officials. Directors from Gautrans were also present, reflecting the collaborative effort to align transport planning, implementation, and oversight across entities. In particular, attention was given to VEA roads, with a focus on routine maintenance activities such as grass cutting along road reserves, an essential measure for improving visibility, enhancing road safety, and upholding overall road infrastructure standards.
As Gauteng continues to grow and urbanise, initiatives such as the Roads Cleaning Campaign serve as a reminder that sustainable development begins at street level. The Roads Cleaning Campaign stands as a working example of what collective action can achieve when a province truly grows together.
