The relaunch of the Dr Tshenuwani Farisani branch of the South African Communist Party (SACP) at Itsani at the weekend served as a platform for the leadership to urge members to continue "utilising their backyard gardens for food security".

The branch was named in honour of Limpopo political icon and veteran Dr Tshenuwani Farisani.

During the relaunch, which took place on Saturday, members voted in unison for the retention of the current leadership.

The branch embarked on a programme to empower residents through backyard gardens last year and this has been a resounding success, with some producing more for sale. To motivate them, those who excelled were given tools of the trade such as fertilizers, seedlings and cash.

Speaking during the ocassion to relaunch at Dzindi Primary School, Mr Skinjar Ramugumo, secretary of the party in the Alpheus Malivha district, said that "inasmuch as land still remains in the hands of the minority, members should utalise the land at their disposal and plant food to ensure food security and ensure that they defend the revolution." He mentioned that the members must not only produce enough for themselves, "but more through cooperatives that we could also sell to our neighbours".

He lambasted tribalistic and xenophobic tendencies among communities.

Returning chairperson Michael Gumula said that, by retaining them as the leadership, it clearly showed that thecommunity had trust in them and that it gave them more power and momentum to work for the people. "We are happy you gave us a fresh mandate and we have to add speed to what we were doing. We will continue supporting the backyard programme that is benefitting a lot of our people."