By: Zinhle Mngadi

About 500 trees were planted in the Amaoti location in Inanda, north of Durban, by the eThekwini Municipality in partnership with Browns the Diamonds Store, Food and Trees for Africa and Eco Media Forum in celebration of Arbor Month.

This event was aimed to encourage the community to begin gardens as a sustainable development initiative not only to assist them with the basic needs, but also help improve the province’s habitat, according to the Parks, Liaison and Cemetery head Thembinkosi Ngcobo. He also emphasised to the residents that through today’s tree planting initiative, the municipality will donate seeds to residents to help them start their own vegetable gardens that will curb poverty in their homes.

The winners of the Poster competition Njabulo Mkhize and Thabiso Cele both in grade 5 at Amaoti No:3 Combined School with their teacher,Miss Mthethwa and Mayor James Nxumalo

“Trees give us healthy, nutritious food therefore they are of vital necessity to our environment. Today we will be planting 200 fruit producing trees and 300 indigenous trees in the area of Amaoti in Inanda. The municipality will also hand out carrot, cabbage, spinach and beetroot seeds to locals to assist with poverty in their homes. We want every family to have at least one garden in their yard to help combat poverty and feed their families,” said Ngcobo.

The keynote speaker was eThekwini Mayor, Councillor James Nxumalo who spoke immensely about climate change and its relation to the lack of trees and the natural habitat. He discouraged deforestation done by the traditional healers in their quest to use natural herbs for healing purposes.

“Climate change and global warming has affected our environment which is evident in the extreme weather conditions experience in the recent years. Therefore planting trees will help moderate the extreme weather conditions. Let us then not destroy trees and plantations especially the traditional healers who use the herbs as a means to heal sicknesses. Use them but do not destroy them,” said Nxumalo.