In Benoni, a dream team of volunteers can be found rolling up their sleeves week after week to restore local parks, clean up Homestead Dam, and unite the community around creating safer, healthier green spaces for everyone.
Benoni, South Africa (10 November 2026) – Keeping Benoni beautiful doesn’t happen by chance. Every week, the Homestead Helpers for Benoni team can be found out and about maintaining Homestead Dam, surrounding picnic areas, parks, islands, and road verges so that the community has clean, safe, and green spaces to enjoy.
What began as informal weekend clean-ups at Homestead Dam grew into a registered NPO with multiple active projects, community partnerships, and hundreds of supporters across the East Rand. Armed with gloves, bags, and determination, volunteers show up – and they don’t stop.
The team recently headed down to the dam to tackle invasive poplars, filling bags and stacking piles taller than themselves. Every bit removed helps the water breathe a little easier, keeps the area healthier, and gives local wildlife more room to thrive.
In May, Homestead Helpers carried out a major clean-up of the veld on the corner of Atlas Road and Mercury Street in Alphen Park, commissioned by the Alphen Park Residents’ Association. The site was covered in weeds, branches, and rubbish left behind by vagrants and road users. At first, the task felt overwhelming, but they saw it through.
And when another 4-ton truckload of branches needed removing last month, they showed up again. Thanks to the strong relationship they’ve built with the waste department, CoE Waste (Benoni Depot) made special arrangements to help dispose of the waste.
The work of Homestead Helpers for Benoni matters because it heals both the local environment and the spirit of the community. By dedicating time to rehabilitating Homestead Dam and its surrounding green spaces, through daily litter clean-ups, invasive hyacinth removal, and planting indigenous vegetation, they safeguard vulnerable ecosystems and protect regional biodiversity for future generations.
At the same time, this initiative brings together residents from all walks of life, turning passive observation into active environmental stewardship.
It’s amazing what a few willing hands can achieve when they work together for the greater good of their community. But Homestead Helpers for Benoni can’t do it alone. It takes volunteers, local businesses, sponsors, and a community that cares to keep this work going.
To be part of creating safer, cleaner public spaces, get in touch by emailing [email protected] or visiting the organisation’s Facebook page.
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Sources: Homestead Helpers for Benoni
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