Mon séjour en Afrique du Sud (Cape Town)

Some South Peninsula residents are up in arms at the mess left by participants in the SA National Defence Force's 46km route march through the area.

Waste left behind by the marchers included plastic energy drink bottles and blue plastic water sachets.

The "Friendly Forces" march, the seventh of its kind, took in some of the Peninsula's most scenic tourist routes, including the section from Scarborough along Plateau Road - opposite the entrance to the Cape Point section of the Table Mountain National Park - and along the False Bay coastal road from Smitswinkel Bay to Miller's Point and Simon's Town.

"Clearly these 'unfriendly forces' have no respect for a clean environment!" said one angry resident, who supplied photographs of the litter to the Cape Argus but asked not to be named because he has professional links with the SANDF.

The march was organised by the SA Navy, which has apologised for the mess.

Lieutenant Commander Prince Tshabalala, acting media liaison officer for the Simon's Town Naval Base, said they had organised a team of cleaners to pick up all the litter during and after the route march.

"Every effort was made to leave the area as clean as possible.

"Unfortunately, some items could have been placed out of sight of our sweeping party.

"This is also the first time in the seven years of the race that we have received a complaint of this nature.

"However, the complaint is seen in a positive light and we will be increasing the effectiveness of our cleaning up in future," Tshabalala said.

The complainant said a number of local residents, including those from Murdoch Valley near Simon's Town, had gone out themselves to pick up litter left behind by the marchers.

"Many of them were saying 'gee whizz, but these people have been messing!"' the complainant said.

He pointed out that the organisers of the Cape Argus Pick 'n Pay Cycle Tour were able to clean their route, which covers part of the same area, immediately after the event.

"Later isn't good enough - it should have been done immediately," he insisted.