Durban’s eThekwini Municipality has been named the greenest municipality in South Africa.
The municipality was evaluated on its waste management, energy efficiency, conservation and water management, tree planting and beautification, among other areas. It will receive ZAR3.5 million from the Greenest Municipality Competition, run by the Department of Environmental Affairs, according to an Infrastructure News report.
‘It takes a team of dedicated officials who are passionate to drive these initiatives and processes into a reality. It has not been easy to implement such programmes and yet we are proud that some African cities are taking lessons from our waste management strategies and programmes,’ said Mayor Zandile Gumede on accepting the award. She said the city prioritises environmental issues and building a resilient city.
The prize money is to be spent on funding infrastructure projects with the goal of environmental protection, especially pertaining to the implementation of waste, climate change and green economy-related job-creation projects.
