To address the problem of oil spillages, caused by bush mechanics operating around the Vhembe area, the Vhembe District Municipality (VDM) and Recycling Oil Saves the Environment (ROSE) donated oil flow bins to all four municipalities within the Vhembe District.

This placement of oil flow bins forms part of VDM’s Greening Project. The handover took place at Thulamela’s Tshiulungoma Camp on Wednesday, 8 March. The four municipalities each received 10 oil flow bins to be distributed to mechanics operating around the area.

The Treeman Environmental Agency received 10 bags of cement, 100 metres of wire, six wheelbarrows and six spades. Mr Ndivhuwo Khantshi, the agency’s project manager, received the donation. The Treeman Environmental Agency is a Vhembe Biosphere Reserve demonstration project that aims to address the crisis around climate change and land degradation by planting trees and restoring degraded land. The project, based in Ha-Matsa village and formally registered in 2021, is 100% youth owned.

“We specialise in indigenous trees in the Southern African region, such as marula, baobab, and pepper trees, and have planted and donated more than 1 000 trees to schools, churches and households within the Vhembe District Municipality over the past four years as a way to promote greening in action. We are ready to change life for the better for our communities by promoting greening and planting trees at churches and schools as well,” said Khantshi.

He said that the project also played an important role in protecting infrastructure and properties in the surrounding area from excessive heat and natural disasters, such as strong winds and floods.