GGM takes 2nd in Mopani Greenest Municipality contest

LIMPOPO – The Greater Giyani Municipality (GGM) secured second place in the Mopani District round of the Limpopo Greenest Municipality Competition, highlighting its ongoing commitment to environmental management. The results were announced on Wednesday at a ceremony hosted by the Greater Tzaneen Municipality at the Mopani Disaster Management Centre.

The biennial competition, organised by the Limpopo Department of Economic Development, Environment and Tourism (Ledet), recognises municipalities that demonstrate outstanding commitment to environmental sustainability. Beyond awards, the initiative seeks to inspire municipalities to integrate green strategies, raise public awareness, and strengthen service delivery in their communities.

Greater Tzaneen once again secured the top spot, walking away with the R50 000 prize, while Greater Giyani followed in second place with R40 000.

This marks the second time in four years that Giyani has earned the runner-up position, a reflection of both the municipality’s consistent environmental efforts and the formidable challenge of unseating Greater Tzaneen as the perennial winner.

Representing Greater Giyani at the ceremony, Health and Social Services head Cllr Cony Manganyi, expressed pride in the achievement and emphasised that the award goes beyond accolades.

“The issue is not only about winning but about keeping our town clean. This award motivates us to continue with our efforts, and I therefore urge every community member to use the garbage and skip bins provided,” she said.

Manganyi explained that the municipality’s performance is rooted in ongoing waste management campaigns, clean-up initiatives, and community mobilisation.

She added that the municipality’s goal is to ensure that the entire area of Giyani remains clean, noting that if the budget allows, additional skip bins will be purchased and distributed to villages.

She concluded with a call for collective responsibility among Giyani residents to ensure that the municipality remains clean, a commitment that would, in turn, promote economic activities.

“We must instill in our communities the importance of protecting and keeping our environment clean, so that it becomes a shared culture and a lasting legacy we pass on with pride to our children and future generations.”