The Johannesburg Parks Alliance has centred their clean up initiative this year around an anti-gender-based violence project.

The alliance, made up of a group of 32 member parks around the City of Johannesburg, says it wants to enhance the safety of girls and women in open public recreational spaces, especially with the high levels of gender-based violence in Johannesburg having been exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The recently launched alliance has the backing of the Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo (JCPZ) and seeks to maintain, invest in and use public green spaces.

The Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo says it has a number of park adoption agreements with many residents and ratepayers associations across the City and prior to the establishment of the Johannesburg Parks Alliance, these groups did not have a common platform on which to interact and share information.

The founder of Johannesburg City Alliance, Sunil Geness, says to ensure youth development and gender justice in society, the alliance has ensured the involvement of youth, especially girls and young women in their projects.

"The alliance will seek to embed and advocate pragmatic, tried and tested programmes that enhance the safety of girls and women in open public recreational spaces, considering the high level of gender-based violence in Johannesburg, which has been worsened by Covid-19.

"The purpose of the alliance is to offer a forum for addressing issues of common interest, learning certain lessons, and building capacity in modern urban park management and conservation, whilst lobbying with one voice for positions, resources and policies where there is harmony between member organisations."

Mpho Moerane, the member of the mayoral committee for environment and Infrastructure Services said the alliance will foster greater collaboration between green initiatives across the city and will support the safety and sustainability of the parks.​