The Collins Chabane Local Municipality was one of the beneficiaries of the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environmental Affairs' R44,5 million National Waste Collection and Landfill Management Fleet intervention, involving 19 municipalities across the country.
Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Ms Barbara Creecy launched this intervention, also known as the Yellow Fleet, on Monday at Mulenzhe Village. Collins Chabane local mayor Moses Maluleke and Thovhele Nkhaneni Ramovha also attended the function.
The intervention seeks to address waste-collection issues in unserviced areas, as well as illegal dumping and landfill operations in selected municipalities. To kickstart proceedings, Creecy handed over one waste compactor truck and one skip loader truck to Collins Chabane, while Ba-Phalaborwa Local Municipality received a waste compactor truck and a TLB.
Upon handing over the fleet, Minister Creecy strongly suggested that the Collins Chabane Local Municipality immediately start attending to the many complaints her office had received about littering and uncontrolled waste dumps around the flagship Kruger National Park.
"We ask you to use these vehicles to also regularly clean along the Kruger National Park, so that our domestic and international visitors can see that we are proud of our natural assets and our major tourist attractions. We call upon the executive and local mayors to make the country proud by maintaining these areas and ensuring they are free from unsightly litter and illegal dumping, and that the landfill sites within your municipalities are properly managed. The vehicles we provided should assist you in achieving that success," said Minister Creecy.
She also embarked on a Good Green Deeds clean-up campaign and took to the streets of Mulenzhe village, which leads to the Mulenzhe clinic, where a tree was planted.
Thovhele Ramovha was thankful for the minister's visit and the campaign to address waste management, and said he hoped to mobilise the communities around the 15 villages under the Mulenzhe Tribal Council to keep their places clean.