What does summer mean to you? If you’re in Cape Town it’s likely to include hot weather, south easters, and days in the sun, interspersed with some beach longing and cold dips! But nothing ruins a beach day like spreading out your towel to a beautiful view, only to find you’re lying between two empty packets of NikNaks, three cigarette butts, and a cool drink can. Sharing the space with assorted city waste is a surefire way to ruin the day, and as beaches become ever more busy this problem becomes harder to solve… but for Keith! Day in and day out, he’s tackling waste head-on and ensuring that the only foreign bodies on the beach are those who know to put sunscreen on.
Keith has adopted Saunders Beach, and become a steadfast favourite of locals and visitors alike! As custodian of this space, his work includes not only the removal of waste from the beach (and from the million nooks and crannies in which the Sou’Easter may jam it), but also keeping an eye out for beachgoers, keeping keys for eager swimmers, sweeping the steps and generally ensuring that this little corner remains a slice of Atlantic heaven and not a waste-strewn dumping ground of Nik Nak packets and granadilla lolly wrappers… Keith started this initiative after a previous custodian, Chris, went on an extended leave period, and relying on donations and tips from the public has worked through dark winter months to keep Saunders beautiful and well-kept into the summer.
Keith had moved to Cape Town in 2011 and held a variety of jobs with some rather large companies, working in telecoms and sales, and has a young son. The financial pressures on his shoulders are great, and as COVID and inflation progressed these only mounted. Keith was in a tricky position and had to send his son to George where he lives with his aunt, a keen marathon runner. She comes to Cape Town for races occasionally which is great for the family, and he makes the journey up to George whenever possible, but it’s not easy to be so separated from one’s child. We hope that by supporting him we can ease some of the pressure and stress that often bears down on single parents.
Sealand became aware of Keith’s incredible initiative earlier this year and pledged to support him on his journey, providing support, a phone and data plan so he can use SnapScan and communicate with his family and friends, clothes and accessories, a monthly salary alongside his donations, and marketing materials to educate the public on his efforts. Keith managed to secure a space near the beach in which he keeps his cleaning tools, along with a thermometer for water temperature and a doormat so that people can dust their feet before leaving the beach. We are so proud of Keith and our partnership with him, and wish to continue to give him all the help he needs to continue making our planet better!
How can you help Keith?
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Get your waste in the bin! Keith has enough going on battling a city’s worth of waste blowing his way every hot day without wanting to worry about another Valpre bottle “forgotten” in the sand…
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Support Keith directly through his Zapper or his SnapScan, QR codes below.
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Say hi to Keith when next visiting Saunders - sometimes just an acknowledgment and thanks can go a long way on a slow day.
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Embody the spirit of Keith and Protect Our Paths - pick up litter that you see in our natural spaces and city and keep it out of our ocean.
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If you’re a local business owner, consider reaching out to us or Keith directly - we’d love to involve more partners on this journey!
Together we make our planet better!
