Robben Island Museum and Coca-Cola Peninsula Beverages partner to host the 2024 International Coastal Clean-up on Robben Island

Thu, Sep 26 2024

Robben Island’s fragile ecosystem gets much-needed attention as 150 volunteers tackle marine waste in a major clean-up led by RIM and CCPB.

Robben Island Museum (RIM) will be joining forces with Coca-Cola Peninsula Beverages (CCPB) for a special event planned to commemorate International Coastal Clean-Up Day, by conducting a massive coastal clean-up operation along the Robben Island shoreline on 14 September 2024.

This event will also see the participation of other strategic partners such as the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment, SANParks, The V&A Waterfront, SANCCOB, and academic institutions as they join masses around the globe in the celebration of the 2024 International Coastal Clean-up Day (commemorated on 21 September).

Robben Island Museum is a World Heritage Site situated within one of the busiest ports in Africa. Fishing and other recreational activities occur within the island’s inshore and nearshore waters which result in marine pollution. The debris eventually accumulates along the island’s shoreline resulting in the entanglement and sometimes mortalities of many sea and shoreline bird species.

Robben Island is a breeding habitat for various seabird species, some of which are endangered wildlife e.g. African penguins, Bank cormorants, threatened African oystercatchers and other numerous species of birds, which further heightens the importance of protecting the island as a natural habitat.

RIM has collaborated with various stakeholders in organising this coastal clean-up event on the island. The collaboration aims to remove more than 2 tons of debris from the shoreline with the assistance of 150 participants.

“This initiative is instrumental as it supports the RIM 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,” says RIM’s Environmental Unit: Manager and Acting Senior Manager: Research and Heritage, Sabelo Madlala.

The partnership with CCPB and RIM stems from the first joint collaboration in 2019 sparked by a mutual passion for protecting the environment and creating awareness about the toxic nature of waste along coastal areas and the impact on marine life.

“As a responsible corporate citizen, we understand only too well that we have a role to play in protecting our planet and its natural resources. We need to leave the world a better place for future generations, and this is why we value this partnership with RIM,” explains Priscilla Urquhart, Head of Public Affairs, Communications and Sustainability for Coca-Cola Peninsula Beverages (CCPB).

“Since the launch of Coca-Cola’s World Without Waste campaign in 2018, we have become a driving force locally behind the campaign. WWW is an ambitious packaging initiative that aims to help collect and recycle a bottle or can for each one sold by 2030. I believe we can do it and through working with a powerful network of partners and stakeholders that are part of this journey with us. We are excited to join hands with the Robben Island Museum team as well as all the other partner activities we are supporting for International Coastal Cleanup this year,” she says.

For more information and media enquiries please contact:
Ms. Mpilonhle Magubane 082 713 7484, Email: MpilontleM@robben-island.org.za
And
Ms. Priscilla Urquhart 083 798 6545, Email: priscillau@penbev.co.za

Spokespeople

1. Priscilla Urquhart, Head of Public Affairs, Communications and Sustainability for Coca-Cola Peninsula Beverages (CCPB).
2. Mrs. Ayanda Woji- RIM's Acting Chief Heritage Officer (ACHO)
3. Councilor Mr. Litha Jolobe- Chairperson of the Stakeholder Relations Committee at RIM
4. Mr. Sabelo Madlala- Acting Senior Manager: Heritage and Research

Issued by the Communication Services of Robben Island Museum