LIMPOPO – In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic in which we have lost family members and friends, we, the Thulamela Local Municipal Council share our festive message with you during the 2021 festive season.

As the number of infections rise, we urge residents to get vaccinated, as we continue to sanitise, keep our social distance and wear our masks.

This year, we also draw strength from the life of Charlotte Maxeke. Throughout her life, Maxeke championed the potential of African people, especially women to start up and take control of their affairs.

Working together, we have uplifted millions of people of poverty and provided houses electricity and sanitation to impoverished households. As a society, we are also faced with the scourge of gender-based violence (GBV) which has resulted in the loss of precious lives of our women. We therefore call on men to play the leading part to stop this pandemic by speaking out and reporting gender-based violence, in raising awareness and peer education.

We congratulate the class 2021 as they anticipate their final matric results. We are convinced that you will make us proud, despite the current pandemic.

We are also calling on all motorists, pedestrians and other road users to be safe on the road this festive season. Our major concerns are the high number of fatalities during the holiday season on our roads. We therefore call on all road users to obey the rules of the road, don’t drink and drive and please, Arrive Alive!

Let us work together with our law enforcement agencies to ensure we are all safe during this festive season.

We wish you a Merry Christmas and joyous festivities with your family and friends.

Thulamela Mayor Athingozwidivha Sarah Rammbuda.