Due to the tragedy that occurred in the Mbhashe Local Municipality, the launch in Dutywa has been postponed until further notice.
In a programme designed to change the outlook of Eastern Cape Townships, the Provincial Department of Human Settlements will launch the most beautified, cleanest and enhanced neighborhood Provincial Annual competition during the Arbor week this year. The launch will include handover of houses, planting of trees, gardens and fencing of homes for the destitute family in Dutywa to mark the Arbor week activities.
The competition is a call to action for communities to start own initiatives of beautifying, cleaning and enhancing their neighborhoods.
The main challenges within communities are certain unhealthy lifestyles, choices and patterns of behaviour among residents. As a threat of climate change intensifies and weather patterns are affected, food security becomes a greater problem.
In this era of climate change government is encouraging communities to maintain a clean and green environment in numerous ways such as water harvesting, waste management and the planting of trees and vegetable gardens to improve air quality and sink carbon emission in their neighbourhoods.
The department is challenging individuals, community organisations beneficiaries in the annual competition to showcase what they have done as a community to beautify, clean and enhance their communities. Winners of this competition will be recognised and awarded at the Annual Provincial Govan Mbeki awards. Qualifying projects will be scored in the competition according to the following categories:
- Most Beautified and Cleanest, Waste management and Recycling
- Greening: Planting of trees, food gardens and environmental friendly neighbhourhoods
- Most Enhanced: Use of available natural resources, availability of recreational facilities (informal and formal) roads, clinics etc
Community projects will be assessed by independent judges and the winning neighbourhood can expect to win some awesome prizes for the benefit of their community which can include food and garden implements, waste management tools and sporting equipment.
The competition forms part of the department’s programme on the implementation of Project Enhancements and Community Integration and will rolled out across the Province. It is open to Eastern Cape low cost residential areas.
More:
The project enhancements referred to include availability and or proximity to social and economic amenities (sport, shops, health centres, roads infrastructure (informal and formal). Greening refers to planting of trees and food gardens, harvesting of water and waste management. Beautification refers to waste management and recycling used to beautifying communities.
The launch will be held as follows:
Date: 3 September 2015
Venue: Dutywa (Next to the N2)
Time:10h00
Enquiries:
Lwandile Sicwetsha
Tel: 043 711 9679
E-mail: lwandiles@ecdhs.gov.za
