The City Of Ekurhuleni has been named the cleanest municipality in Gauteng.
The City was awarded the top prize at the Bontle ke Botho awards ceremony hosted by the Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development at the Lakes Hotel in Benoni recently.
Ekurhuleni will now represent the province at the Greenest Municipality Competition which is run by the National Department of Environmental Affairs, an award which the City won last year.
Bontle Ke Botho (BkB) is an initiative 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 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. Member of the Mayoral Committee for Environmental Management in Ekurhuleni, Clr Vuyewla Mabena, opened the awards ceremony stating that the City was honoured to host the prestigious event.
“As Ekurhuleni, we have been participating in BkB since its inception and we are proud to say that we are always well represented,” he said.
“This project has had a positive impact in many of our communities and schools and it is important that we come up with innovations that will ensure that it is sustained for the next 20 years.”
Gauteng MEC of 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. On both formal and informal education fronts, learners in schools 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,” said Maile.
Maile awarded Ekurhuleni a certificate of recognition for being the first Gauteng municipality to win the national Greenest Municipality Competition last year.
