Chorus of green hope
● Zolani Mahola might be all things Freshlyground, but when it comes to packaging she is putting her musical foot firmly down on single-use plastic bags.
She is the first of many celebrities to make a public pledge against the offending items for the month-long #RethinkTheBag campaign, which begins today as part of PlasticFree July.
What attracted her to being an ambassador for this campaign? “The fact that I care deeply about our planet and environment,” she said.
Mahola’s patriotism was on display when she sang the national anthem before the Springboks’ opening rugby test against England at Ellis Park in Johannesburg last month.
Now the planet is on her mind. “I try to be conscious in everything I do, and when it comes to my footprint on this planet I try to tread as lightly as possible,” she said.
“If I can do anything to spread the message of the dire need to stop using single-use plastics, I am committed.
“It’s a no-brainer. It is actually no longer a choice. It is our social and environmental responsibility.”
As a celebrity, she sees it as her duty to help spread the word. As someone who lives in Cape Town, she is never far from nature’s grandeur.
“I seek constant joy and rejuvenation from our mountains and oceans. We have to preserve this — we have a major role to play and it starts with a simple effort.”