Philani Mgomezulu is passionate about the environment
Mr Mngomezulu has featured on various documentaries and in books as a commentator about the environment of the Highveld region and how coal mining affects township communities.
One name is synonymous with environmental activism in Wesselton and that is Mr Philani Mgomezulu.
He is an environmental activist and a passionate one at that.
His fight against, as he terms it, the “rape” of the land has been a long one, beginning in the early 2000s and has seen him on various podiums and chambers while he appealed to the masses to take care of the environment and land.
His activism has led to him being integrated in a global community of activists who are fighting for their own cause, but ultimately one voice and that is of taking care of our environment.
With friends from all corners of the globe, Mr Ngomezulu has crossed borders and witnessed the damage that humans do to the environment and shared his own experiences about living in a town surrounded by mines.
His exploits landed him in Parliament recently after he was chosen to represent the Highveld in Cape Town to talk about various issues affecting the region, as well as to share his personal journey of fighting against mines because they plunder the land, leaving it empty and not rehabilitate as the law stipulates.
Though it was an information sharing trip to the Mother City, Mr Mngomezulu also returned to add to his numerous certificates as he was also trained in various aspects of the law when it comes to the environment.
The chairman of the Khuthala Environmental Care Group (KECG) based in Ermelo, Mr Mngomezulu is not shy to speak his mind, shining the light of the effects of global warming at every campaign that they embark on as a group.
This environmental activist knows what he is talking about. He was born in Ermelo and grew up on the streets of Wesselton.
A Cebisa Secondary School product, he was inspired by Mr Lucky Mashele, with who he co-founded KECG, who was an advocate against the mines surrounding the town.
His work speaks for itself and he was the creative force behind the Khuthala Park in Wesselton, which was integrated into the Department of Tourism in the region.
Mr Mngomezulu has featured on various documentaries and in books as a commentator about the environment of the Highveld region and how coal mining affects township communities.
His ultimate goal and that of his group is to completely eradicate illegal dumping sites in and around Wesselton by turning them into vegetable gardens that can benefit the community.
“We can turn something that is tragic into something good, because we will be creating employment, getting the youth off the street, arming people with knowledge and ultimately taking care of our environment.”
The KECG will embark on another mission to help informal settlement residents around Lindile Secondary School to relocate to better land as the one they currently occupying is not fit for human occupation.
Mr Mngomezulu is ready to lead his team as they rehabilitate the environment of Ermelo and surrounding areas.
“You can go to prison for destroying the environment and we will make sure the culprits are caught,” Mr Mngomezulu concluded.
