Northern Cape
20 November 2007
The Electoral Commission (IEC) in the Northern Cape will be planting
"democracy trees" on Thursday, 22 November 2007 as part of the IEC Go Green
campaign which started in Atteridgeville in the Tshwane Metro in October this
year.
The planting ceremony of 20 indigenous trees at the Isago Primary School in
Kimberley is the first planting of "democracy trees" by an IEC provincial
office and forms part of the first phase of the Go Green campaign whereby a
minimum of twenty (20) "democracy trees" will be planted at one provincially
identified school in each of the nine provinces.
The long-term scope of the project is to plant a minimum of 20 "democracy
trees" at all IEC voting stations. Currently this equates to 380 000 trees that
will be planted at the 19 000 voting stations across the country over a period
of about five (5) years.
The IEC Go Green campaign is aimed at:
* highlighting the vital role of trees in our lives by planting democracy
trees where possible at each of our 19 000 voting stations
* highlighting the important role that forests play in our economy and for our
continued survival
* highlighting the importance of preserving our environment in the face of
global warming
* encouraging IEC and electoral (election day) staff to participate in ongoing
tree planting and greening activities and
* creating opportunities for corporate South Africa to partner with the IEC in
sustaining our environment and heritage.
The Go Green project was started this year as part of the institution's
tenth anniversary celebrations. The IEC is aware of its joint responsibility
with all other organisations and corporations both nationally and globally to
care for the environment and is committed to the "democracy tree" planting
project, because it sees it as a way to negate some of the impact that normal
IEC business processes have on the environment, e.g. without paper we will not
be able to vote.
The project is done in partnership with Food and Trees for Africa (FTFA),
the Department of Education and the Department of Water Affairs and
Forestry.
Event details are as follows:
Date: 22 November 2007
Time: 11h00 to 13h00
Venue: Isago Primary School, Corner Stranger Nkosi and Siwisa Streets,
Vergenoeg Ext 8, Kimberley
Draft programme:
11h00 to 11h05: Programme director opens proceedings (Mr Mohapi Molefi, IEC
Registration and Delimitation)
11h05 to 11h10: Welcome (Mrs Violet Sebati, Principal of Isago Primary
School)
11h10 to 11h20: Municipal perspective on environment (representative from
Sol Plaatje Municipality)
11h20 to 11h25: Presentation of the concept (Mr Brian Heuvel, GO GREEN
Committee)
11h25 to 11h30: Partnership with schools on democracy (Mr Elkin Topkin, IEC
Provincial Manager)
11h30 to 11h40: Representative of the Ministry of Education
11h40 to 11h50: Representative of the Ministry of Environmental Affairs and
Tourism
11h50 to 12:15: Keynote address: Why Trees, and the importance of
greening
(Dr Brigalia H. Bam, Chairperson of the Electoral Commission of South
Africa)
12h15 to 12h45: Planting of ceremonial "Democracy Tree" by all
dignitaries
12:45: Closing of ceremony.
Enquiries:
Cathi Munro
Tel: 053 838 5000
Cwll: 083 654 7541
Issued by: Independent Electoral Commission
20 November 2007
