The metro was awarded the top prize at the Bontle Ke Botho awards ceremony, which was hosted by the Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, at the Lakes Hotel, in Benoni, last Friday.
Ekurhuleni will now go on to represent the province at the Greenest Municipality Competition, which is run by the National Department of Environmental Affairs — an award which the metro won last year.
Bontle Ke Botho (BKB) is an initiative which was established by the Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in 2002.
It is aimed at encouraging sustainable environmental practices in communities – at school, ward and municipal level.
Another objective of the programme is to promote environmental actions that take into consideration poverty alleviation and sustainable living practices.
Projects are required to address one or more of five themes, namely, water conservation, energy efficiency, waste management, sustainable agriculture and greening.
Gauteng MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development, Lebogang Maile, was excited to be part of the 13th annual BKB awards for the first time.
“This campaign continues to facilitate community development and empowerment,”she said.
“On both formal and informal education fronts, school pupils and community members participating in BKB gain the necessary environmental skills, knowledge, attitude and values required to ensure that they participate meaningfully in addressing environmental issues that affect them now and in the future.”
The MEC congratulated all schools, wards and municipalities which participated in the initiative and those whose projects received awards.
Maile also awarded Ekurhuleni a Certificate of Recognition for being the first Gauteng municipality to win the national Greenest Municipality Competition, last year.
Winners of the 2014 Bontle Ke Botho awards in the metro are:
New Projects: Wards (wards entering the competition for the first time):
* First prize: Ward 86: Duduza (R50 000)
* Second prize: Ward 95: Vosloorus (R45 000)
* Third prize: Ward 84: Duduza (R40 000)
* Fourth prize: Ward 11: Tembisa (R35 000)
New Projects: Schools (schools entering the competition for the first time):
* First: Abinala Primary School, Vosloorus (R35 000)
* Second: Leratadima Primary School, Tokoza (R30 000)
* Third: Tshabalala Primary School, Katlehong (R25 000)
* Fourth: Umkhathiswe Primary School, Tokoza (R20 000)
* Fifth: Thulisa Primary School, Katlehong (R15 000)
Sustainable Projects: Wards:
* First: Ward Nine: Tembisa (R45000)
* Second: Ward 56: Tokoza (R25 000)
* Third: Ward 89: Tembisa (R20 000)
* Fourth: Katlehong (R15 000)
Sustained Projects: Schools:
* First: Ntokozweni Primary School, KwaThema (R30 000)
* Second: Mashemong Primary School, Tembisa (R25 000)
* Third: Kgalema Intermediate School, Daveyton (R20 000)
* Fourth: Phelang Elsen School, KwaThema (R15 000)
* Fifth: Qedusizi Primary School, Kwa-Thema (R10 000)
Category (A) Municipalities:
* First: Ekurhuleni (R300 000)
* Second: City of Johannesburg (R195 000)
