THE community of rural Nkomazi area bordering Mozambique and Swaziland came out in numbers to take part in a cleaning campaign planned for the whole week.

Led by the Nkomazi municipality's mayor Johan Mavuso, a group of people including prisoners on parol, pupils, councillors, the business community, traditional leaders and community members cleaned most parts of the area yesterday.

But Mavuso was concerned that the business community did not attend in full force while most of its members usually threw garbage on the road sides or unoccupied land.

"This is causing a serious pollution in the area and I'm calling on the business community to immediately stop that," he said.

One of the local business people who took part in the clean-up campaign was Johan Sibiya.

"What the mayor has requested is very important. Our children can learn to be responsible if we are responsible ourselves," said Sibiya.

Municipality spokesperson Cyril Ripinga said the campaign aims to make people aware that with the 2010 Soccer World Cup nearing, it was necessary for "us to be ready".

"We want all visitors who will be coming to this area from all over the world to find us clean," said Ripinga.

"We are bordering three countries: Mozambique, Swaziland and the world famous Kruger National Park if you allow me to call that animal planet a country."

Nobuhle Magagula, 14, a Grade 7 pupil at the Sabata Primary School, said it was important for rural areas to remain clean.