Greenest Municipality

Duduzile Ndala, one of the Greenest Municipality Competition adjudicators, is welcomed by Overstrand Mayor, Cllr Nicolette Botha-Guthrie.

The national adjudicators of the Greenest Municipality Competition (GMC) received a warm welcome when they visited Overstrand Municipality last week for a two day evalution.

Overstrand was the winner of the Western Cape leg of the competition in 2010 and based on that is a finalist for the GMC prize giving that is going to take place later this year. The national winner will once again win funding of R3,5 million for green projects that will create employment, a prize that the municipality won last year.

Mayor Nicolette Botha-Guthrie said in her welcoming speech that Overstrand Municipality has always been a great supporter of such competitions that just by participating in them is already a winner.

This competition helps the municipality to focus on things that really matter and help to improve the quality of our environment and the quality of life, she said.

The panel consisted of Kgomotso Nokgoko from the Departement of Environmental Affairs, Phuti Mabotha (LEDET), Duduzile Ndala (DEDET), Russell Baloyi (Envidev), Balanganani Nengovhela (SALGA) and Mandla Mentoor, a social entrepreneur from Soweto.

The group received presentations on waste management (Johan van Taak), energy efficiency and conservation (Deon Louw), water management (Hanré Blignaut), environmental management (Liezl Bezuidenhout) and tree planting and beautification projects (Lauren Rainbird). They were also briefed about the ward committees and other structures for public participation and community empowerment as well as leadership and institutional arrangements.

Mr Van Taak and other officials accompanied the group on their field inspections.

Source: Whale Coast Media