LOUIS TRICHARDT – A shining example was set by the Mayor of the Makhado Municipality, Cllr Brighton Tlakula , two MEC's and a group of Ward Councillors, municipal officials, hawkers and representatives of other relevant structures when they took to the streets of Louis Trichardt to pick up litter on Friday, May 24.

The cleaning campaign to raise public awareness for a litter-free environment forms part of the Letsima Campaign in the Department of Local Government and Housing. This is in response to President Thabo Mbeki's call to a spirit of voluntarism or Letsima (the Pedi word for voluntarism or working for free) in his State of the Nation Address the week before the opening of Parliament this year.

The group from the Makhado Municipal Council were elated to welcome the two MEC's who arrived about an hour later than expected in support of the campaign. The two MEC's are Mrs Dikeledi Magadzi, MEC for Safety, Security and Liaison and Mrs Catherine Mabuza, MEC in the office of the Premier. By that time everyone in the group had already donned their blue overalls, green caps and special shoes for the occasion.

After a short ceremony and speeches by the MEC's in the Council Chamber the group rolled up their sleeves carrying their black refuse bags to demonstrate that people from every level participate in the Letsima campaign.

"Voluntarism is not only for the unemployed, it is for everybody," said Mrs Florence Rumani, EXCO member of the Makhado Council and facilitator of the Letsima Campaign launched during May by the Department of Local Government and Housing.

The cleaning campaign in the town centre and Eltivillas on May 24 was not the first in the programme. On May 10 the Mayor, Councillors and Ward Committees were cleaning at Eltivillas. The campaign included environment awareness as shown by tree planting occasions on May 15 at the Makhado Office and the Regional Offices of Vuwani and Hlanganani. Mrs Florence Rumani was delegated by the Mayor to plant the trees and volunteers helped her.

The cleaning campaign of May was preceded by January's Letsima Campaign in the Education Department, in February it was Safety and Security, in March Human Rights and in April the Health Department launched projects like the cleaning of the hospital with volunteers.

"We want to indicate to all residents that we want to eradicate poverty and keep our town clean. Let's come together so that our area should look neat," noted Mrs Rumani.