The Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Dr Dion George together with his Deputy, Ms Bernice Swarts, will lead the Ministerial Imbizo as part of the 2025 Desertification and Drought Day (DDD) in Sekhukhune District Municipality, Limpopo.
The Ministerial Imbizo serves as a platform to raise awareness about desertification, land degradation, and drought (DLDD) related issues. It will also showcase community-driven and science-based solutions aimed at preventing desertification and mitigating the effects of drought and land degradation.
Minister George will hand over boreholes to the communities of Mphanama and Ga-Matji villages as part of the government's efforts to strengthen water and food security while enhancing drought resilience and ensuring sustainable livelihoods.
Minister George will also showcase several impactful community projects being implemented in partnership with stakeholders to address DLDD complexities in the province. Some of these community projects include:
Fetakgomo Land Rehabilitation Project - Located in Ga-Matji Village within Fetakgomo Local Municipality, this project was funded through the DFFE’s Environmental Programmes (Working for Land).
Global Environment Facility (GEF-7) Sustainable Land Management Project - The DFFE, in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture and supported by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), is implementing the Global Environment Facility (GEF-7) project titled: “Mainstreaming Sustainable Land Management (SLM) for Large-Scale Impact in the Grazing Lands of Limpopo and Northern Cape Provinces in South Africa.”
Greening Drylands Partnership (GDP) Pilot project - This project aims to promote synergies between ecosystem restoration of degraded lands, climate change mitigation and biodiversity conservation.
The youth in Sekhukhune District Municipality benefited from these projects through job opportunities, training and skills development.
The Imbizo will bring together local stakeholders, including government agencies, experts, farmers, community leaders, and Civil Society Organisation (CSOs), to collaboratively address DLDD issues and highlight national efforts to combat environmental degradation, promote sustainable practices, and mitigate the effects of desertification and drought on vulnerable communities and ecosystems.
The Ministerial Imbizo also forms part of South Africa’s programme under its Presidency of the G20 Environment and Climate Sustainability Working Group (ECSWG), which promotes global cooperation to tackle climate and environmental challenges.
Media are invited to attend and cover the event as follows:
Desertification and Drought Ministerial Imbizo in Limpopo province, Sekhukhune District Municipality
Date: Tuesday, 17 June 2025
Time: 9h00
Venue: Kgokolo Sports Ground, Matebane Area, Mphanama Village, Fetakgomo Tubatse Local Municipality, Limpopo
To RSVP, please contact Michael Mokoena: 082 906 5795 / mmokoena@dffe.gov.za or Banele Mabena 066 420 0144 / smabena@dffe.gov.za
For media enquiries please contact:
Thobile Zulu-Molobi
Cell: 082 513 7154
E-mail: tmolobi@dffe.gov.za
Chelsey Wilken
Cell: 074 470 5996
E-mail: cwilken@dffe.gov.za
