Nature reserve workers to zip around on bicycles
As a solution to transport problems, 120 members of the local community were recently given bicycles by the Department of Environmental Affairs and the Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MTPA).
MZINTI – As part of a joint project to introduce non-motorised transport in the Mahushe-Shongwe and Loskop Dam nature reserves, 120 community members were given bicycles.
The chosen community members each received a bicycle, helmet, reflector vest, combination lock and multi-toolkit.
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The Mahushe-Shongwe Nature Reserve, located near Mzinti, has been in the process of upgrades since March last year, so employed people from the local community. The workers were also trained in various trades, including plumbing, electricity, bricklaying and painting at the start of the project. This will ensure that when the project ends, the workers can find other work with the skills they have acquired.
“These workers travel from home to work using different forms of transport. We saw it better to reduce carbon emissions by giving them these bicycles. It will make them exercise and be healthy because in other forms of transport they just sit,” said Mr Johannes Nobunga, MTPA’s CEO.
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The upgrading of the project aims to increase tourism in the area, create job opportunities and increase the economic drive in Nkomazi.
A series of training sessions have been scheduled to ensure that each one of the participants is able to ride the bicycles and use the multi-toolkit provided.
