An environmental health practitioner of the Vhembe District municipality became the toast of his municipality after winning a national award.

Mr David Nemakonde (42) of Lwamondo recently received the coveted Alfred Nzo Environmental Health Achievement Award in Rustenburg.

The award recognizes individuals in the environmental health sector who contributed and created innovative ideas in the advancement of the environmental health services. A water purification project designed to improve drinking water for the rural community of Tshaanda -Tshitandani made him the overall winner in the category for most outstanding community project.

“When we started the project last year, the people of Tshaanda-Tshitandani were drinking impure water from a well. We focussed on how we could purify this natural water and make it fit for human consumption and now people are able to access clean water. It is only a pilot project and, if viable, we are going to implement it throughout the district,” he said.

He said the award would motivate him to work even harder and think of other ways of improving the livelihood of  people.

Mayor Matibe stated that they were very excited "that one of our own has come out with an innovative project that will ease the water problem."