Maggy Machumele
Environmental Practitioner
Maggy Machumele, who lives in Tzaneen, Limpopo, is an environmental health practitioner. She is making an important contribution to promote “environmental awareness” among the residents.
Machumele works for the Greater Tzaneen Municipality. She plays a leading role in the environmental sector where she brings awareness to the community about about the value of environmental awareness. She runs “projects to ensure members of community are develop interest in the environment which she describes as an “imperative without which life cannot be sustained. “We are happy that this appears to be filtering through,” she says.
Her work places emphasis on changing attitudes, and dealing with unfounded sterotypes about the environment. She also engages with communities to launch awareness programmes.
She runs the Cleanest School Competition in the area. The same competition is replicated in other areas, including in the Capricorn District Municipality. She believes the project has the potential to promote environmental awarenes.
After the environment sector was transferred to the district municipality, she became responsible for solid waste management.
The Covid-19 pandemic “stood in the way of speeding up our advocacy programmes, and it is a great pity we are still struggling with issues of illegal dumping”.
“On the brighter side, though, there are members of the community who are interested in the recyclables such as paper, plastic and cans, to generate an income”.