LIMPOPO – Over 400 residents from Ha-Mashau village joined Collins Chabane Mayor Gezane Shadrack Maluleke in a community clean-up effort during an environmental awareness and clean-up campaign on Thursday.
Equipped with gloves and plastic bags, the community participated in the initiative aimed at raising awareness about illegal dumping, promoting zero tolerance towards littering, and inspiring behavioural change.
Maluleke highlighted the campaign’s goal of fostering community pride and encouraging residents to take ownership of their surroundings.
“The campaign provided an opportunity for the residents of Ha-Mashau to clean-up their streets. Ha-Mashau is part of our surrounding community, and we care deeply about the areas we govern. Improving the lives of people living in these communities is part of our strategy and identity,” he said.
Maluleke said he was satisfied with the community’s participation, saying such efforts, while seemingly small, have a significant impact on mitigating climate change and improving local conditions.
“These efforts contribute to stabilising and enriching the soil around our communities, which in turn helps food gardens flourish. Climate change poses a threat to our progress in eradicating hunger and malnutrition. By adopting a more climate-friendly lifestyle and creating awareness, we can all play a part in changing this trajectory,” Maluleke added.
The mayor also highlighted the importance of collaboration between the government and communities, stating that the campaign serves as a catalyst for positive change.
He encouraged community members to take responsibility for protecting and maintaining a clean environment.
Taffi Shondlani, a graduate from the Department of Fisheries, Forestry, and Environmental Affairs, joined the campaign with the goal of raising awareness about littering and illegal dumping in the villages.
“We are committed to addressing the waste management crisis in our villages, particularly in Ha-Mashau. We were fortunate to be supported by the Collins Chabane Municipality waste management unit, who provided us with plastic bags and gloves,” Shondlani said.
