Mogalakwena Muni celebrates National Arbor week
The Mogalakwena Municipality's delegation led by the Chief Whip, Staff Tsebe, Community Services chairperson, Mmphuti Senoamadi and other councillors visited Nonchimudi Primary School in Mahwelereng last Thursday where they planted four trees along with the learners in honour of Arbor Week from 1 to 7 September.
MOKOPANE – The Mogalakwena Municipality’s delegation led by the Chief Whip, Staff Tsebe, Community Services chairperson, Mmphuti Senoamadi and other councillors visited Nonchimudi Primary School in Mahwelereng last Thursday where they planted four trees along with the learners in honour of Arbor Week from 1 to 7 September.
South Africa celebrates Arbor Week annually as it is an initiative of the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF), as the custodian of forestry in South Africa, is responsible for the campaign.
In a brief speech Tsebe, a former gr. 4 learner from Nonchimudi Primary School 33 years ago, indicated that this year’s Arbor Week is celebrated under the theme – Forests and People: Investing in a sustainable future.
The theme has been adopted from the XIV World Forestry Congress.
“National Arbor Week is an opportunity for all South Africans to plant indigenous trees as a practical and symbolic gesture of sustainable environmental management.
“It affords the government, the private sector, non-governmental, community based organisations and the public to be involved in Arbor Week.
“Planting trees and greening human settlements takes place in communities,” Tsebe said.
He added that it is therefore important for the public, including the learners, to join hands with partners in local government and community-based organisations in greening the municipality.
“Greening refers to an integrated approach to the planting, care and management of all vegetation in urban and rural areas to secure multiple benefits for communities.
“Greening in the South African context takes place in towns, townships and informal settlements, specifically because in the past, the latter areas were disadvantaged in terms of planning for parks as well as tree planting in streets and open spaces,” Tsebe added.
In closing, Tsebe encouraged the learners to take care of the trees.
“The decision you take today will affect your future and the contry’s future, I thus advise you to conduct yourselves in a dignified manner.
“Be punctual at school, listen to parents and educators,” Tsebe concluded.
