13 Oct 2022

Farmers and village development committees have been urged to escalate and spread clean-up campaigns in and around Bobonong to rid the village of litter .

Speakers at the public health awareness and cleanup campaign conducted by Mmaselaelo farmers cluster complained that litter was not only detrimental to human health, but also dangerous to livestock.

Due to drought, animals have resorted to feeding on litter, the trail of which lead livestock into the village.

“O kgona go fitlhela kgomo e eme ka takeaway e e tlogetsweng ke mongwe mo mmolong,” Bobirwa Sub-district Council bylaw officer Mr Resego Boitumelo said, loosely meaning that animals encroach into malls and feed on remnants of food left by people who do not dump litter at the designated points.

The bylaw officer warned that failure by a farmer to care for their livestock was a punishable offence that attracted a fine.

He also warned those who tended to their livestock in the village that his office would soon descend on them with appropriate charges.

Cattle found roaming the streets of Bobonong will be confiscated and accommodated at the bylaw kraal where each head will accrue P30 per day. Small stock is charged P20 per head. After seven days in the kraal the animals would then be moved to Matimela quarantine.

However, the officer warned that above the daily charges a farmer would face the said farmer would be fined P2 000 for his animals.

Since people ignore the set out methods of disposing waste and litter, the rubbish ends up spreading all over the village and turning the area into an eyesore, speakers spoke in agreement.

Speakers noted that the chief amongst the environment contaminants were babies disposable diapers which are usually dumped carelessly in the rivers, tributaries and streams. Some are said to be dumped in the bushes.

“We throw these diapers in secret, because we know it is illegal to do so, but our irresponsibility will come back to haunt us in the form of diseases,” said the sub-district council environmental officer, Mr Ramadi Moje.

Mr Moje said that while exposing livestock to diapers and other forms of illegal litter, could result in  carcasses of some of the animals being condemned at the abattoir owing to diseases caused by consumption of the litter.

He encouraged farmers and VDCs to support each other in the campaign to keep the village and its peripheries clean at all times.

He said that a clean environment would benefit animals and humans equally.

If possible, some waste products and or litter should be recycled, Mr Jan Madoko from Bobonong constituency office said.

He also appealed to individuals to ‘learn to dump waste at designated areas.’

Mr Madoko, who was speaking on behalf of the Member of Parliament Mr Taolo Lucas, encouraged concerted efforts towards a clean and safer environment.

“Let us grow this initiative to elevate Bobonong from the dirtiest village to the cleanest in Bobirwa,” Mr Madoko said, further labeling Mmaselaelo farmers cluster the torchbearers of a magnificent campaign. BOPA