Earthriza

The Official Go Green Tembisa Newsletter

Editors note

Issue : 01

W elcome to the first issue of #Earthriza, a com-

munity based eNewslet-

ter focusing on issues of

Climate Change catastro-

phes on the ground. With

this introspective commu-

nication tool we aspire to

identify, expose and tackle

environmental injustices

by informing, educating

and engaging with local

communities about cli-

mate crisis.

#Earthriza is not only a

newsletter but a move-

ment founded on princi-

ples of addressing envi-

ronmental degeneration

within our communities

which poses a serious

threat to human develop-

ment and our planet. We

believe environmental

issues are Human Rights

concerns hence we begin

by providing educational

awareness tips on ecolog-

ical problems identical to

our situation in Tembisa.

We report on Human

Rights Day special broad-

cast The Big Debate

show hosted by etv

Masechaba Lekalake,

which our editor partook.

We also report on Cli-

mate Change Justice

Conference our editor

attended for a week long

hosted by Friends of the

Earth Mozambique, in

Maputo.

We highlight Go Green

Tembisa (GGT) programs

such as eradication of

illegal dumping sites and

stream pollution that we

intend to engage in for

the development of our

communities.

We therefore anticipate

to achieve our goal of

May 2015

Editors Note & Special Points

1

Simple Solutions: Educa-tional Awareness tips.

2

The Big Debate: Human Rights Day

3

Climate Justice Summit: Maputo, Mozambique

4

Go Green Tembisa: Meet Executive Team Members

5

Picture Power 6 & 7

Contact Details 8

Inside this issue:

empowering the less fortu-

nate and give them the op-

portunity and the platform

to raise their concerns. We

end by introducing our Go

Green Tembisa (NPO) exec-

utive team members.

Lastly I would like to thank

my GGT colleagues, family

and friends who contribut-

ed to the production of this

first issue, their input has

been vital in the develop-

ment of the newsletter iden-

tity.

This eNewsletter will be

available on a quarterly ba-

sis, contributions and feed-

back can also be made via

our social media platforms.

We wish all a green and

healthy 2015 .

#Earthriza

Special points of interest:

Go Green was invited by

Ekurhuleni Oversight Commit-

tee on environment to pitch

for a community development

program on stream pollution

on the 23rd April 2015.

The Project will be officially

launched on the 25th May

2015.

Go Green will be conducting

Community Educational

Awareness Workshops on

Environmental Justice.

BUILDING A BETTER FUTURE

It is our mission to ensure that we effect the lives of all

Tembisans by providing with adequate information to

better their decisions on environmental issues that will

help sustain todays live and those of the next coming gen-

erations.

Go Green Tembisa adopts this stream in Tembisa Ekurhuleni Municipality.

Mmatlou wa ga Tsipa

SIMPLE SOLUTIONS: WAYS TO REDUCE POLLUTION AT LOCAL LEVEL

Everyday household activities contribute to water pollution. When it rains, fertilizers from lawn, oil from driveways,

paint and solvent residues from walls and checks and even pet waste are washed into storm sewers or nearby lakes,

rivers and streams. The same lakes, rivers and streams we rely on for drinking water supply, boating, swimming and

fishing. Also improper handling of materials around the house can lead to pollution.

In your Home

Recycle and dispose of all trash properly

Never flush degradable products such as disposable diapers or

plastics tampon applicators down the toilet.

They can damage sewage treatment process and end up littering

streams and waters. Make sure you properly dispose of all pet

waste from your property to keep it out of storm drains and water

suppliers.

Correctly Dispose of Hazardous Household Products

Keep paints, used oil, leaning solvent, polishes, pool chemicals and

insecticides, and other hazardous household chemicals out of

drains, sink and toilets.

Many of the products contain harmful substances such as sodium

hypochlorite, petroleum distillates, phenol and cresol, ammonia

and formaldehyde that can end up in nearby water bodies.

Incorrect disposal of pharmaceuticals and personal care products

leads to the presence of pharmaceuticals residues in our drinking

water.

Maintaining Your Car

Recycle used motor oil. Dont pour waste oil into gutters or down

storm drains, and resist the temptation to dump waste onto the

ground.

A single quart of motor oil that seep into ground water can pollute

250 000 gallons of drinking water.

Keep up with your car maintenance to reduce leaking of oil, cool-

ant, antifreeze and other hazardous fluids.

Be Green When Washing Your Car

Take your car to professional car washes which are required to

drain their wastewater into sewer system where is it treated before

being discharge.

This spares your local rivers and bays from the brake fluid, oil end

automotive fluids that could otherwise contaminate your water.

Professional carwashes to recycle their wastewater, and use less

than half the amount of water. Encourage car owner to use water-

less carwash products at home.

Be An Activist

Educate yourself about environment issues in your community.

Establish programs to control polluted runoff, ensure protection

for wetland and other aquatic ecosystem. Volunteer for a stream

clean up, tree planting, water quality sampling, stream pollution

and monitoring projects.

Car Wash in Vusimisi section, Tembisa

Scrapyard in Sangweni Section, Tembisa

GGT receiving an award from the DEA

This bridge is in main line, Vusimusi Section

A glass fitting business in Welamlambo Sec.

THE BIG DEBATE #AMARIGHTZA

By Mmatlou wa ga Tsipa

The Constitution, The Bill of Rights, Democracy,

what does it mean, and who does it represent

and benefit, do ordinary members of the society

understand it?, well it doesnt seems so.

400 foreign owned spaza shops looted in Sowe-

to, Illegal occupation of land in Pretoria and Jo-

hannesburg, violence on the most vulnerable

members of our society, unfairly treatment of

farm workers. These were some of the issues

raised during the The Big Debate special broad-

cast show hosted by Masechaba Lekalake on

Human Rights Day, 2015 , at etv studios, Green-

side, Johannesburg.

The television show was attended by the Hon.

Deputy Minister of Justice John Jeffery, celebri-

ties such as DJ Sbu, Thandiswa Mazwai, Kelly

Khumalo, Tol Mo, Marikjie Bothma, soccer star

Portia Modise and comedian Mark Lottering. Farm workers, Religious groups, Foreign nationals and civil society

were in attendance.

Attacks on foreign nationals and looting of shops should be stopped and condemned at all cost, south Africa is a

constitutional democracy and respects all human rights regardless of their origin or colour of their skin, said dep-

uty minister of Justice John Jeffery referring to recent attacks on foreign nationals. On Land issues, he acknowl-

edges that there are challenges especially on land redistributions and land reforms however the deputy minister

assures government was working very hard to address issues of human rights abuses. Government is aware of

human rights abuses taking place at farms and farm workers are encouraged to report such abuses to the rele-

vant authorities so that they can be dealt with, concludes the minister.

However those sentiments were not shared by all. We have to go in and out of courts seeking legal intervention

so that we can burry one of our own who lived on the farm her whole life said one of the senior citizen. The

woman said that the deceased husband has been buried on the same farm where he has lived with his family the

entire life but the farm owner refused the late to be buried there. Another man, a farm worker from Cape Town

said he hate Zimbabweans because when they arrived in the Western Cape to work on farms all South Africans

lost their jobs because of labour.

Banyana Banyana striker Portia Modise who scored 100 goals for the national team being the only soccer player

to reach such a mile in the history of football in Africa; speaking for Gays and Lesbians rights said people should

love and accept themselves before they can judge other people. I don't want to be called by names, lesbian or

gay, I am Portia Modise, she said.

Nevertheless things took a different turn when a visibly angry man stand up within the audience and talks about

how the foreigners are taking advantage and abusing the Constitution on Human Rights issues. In all African

countries as a foreigner I wont get free health care, free housing, let alone be able to set a spaza shop amongst

the communities, Nigerians are drug dealers and they fake their qualifications to get jobs he said. That was in no

way going to be left unchallenged especially by Nigerians who were amongst the audience.

One Nigerian man with a newspaper article in his hand that he kept for over a decade pointed out how the Ni-

gerian government have given Freedom Movements in SA millions of rands during apartheid struggle. We have

doctors and other professions investing heavily in South African economy, He said.

The debate on xenophobia took a centre stage as the panellists and the audience all condemning attacks on for-

eign nationals. Dj Sbu encouraged black businesses and entrepreneurs to invest in African economy to help ad-

dress issues of socio economic challenges. That was all the big debate has called for, to debate issues and raise

concerns without fear and favour. However it will take more than debates like this and speeches by our African

leaders to seriously look into themselves and provide real solutions for real African problems.

From Left: Dj Sbu, Portia Modise, Mmatlou wa ga Tsipa, Maritjie

Bothma, Thandiswa Mazwai on Human Rights Day attending

the Big Debate show at ETV Studios, Greenside, Johannesburg.

Delegates attending Climate Change Justice press conference in

Maputo, Mozambique.

By Mmatlou wa ga Tsipa

SEEDING CLIMATE JUSTICE- MAPUTO MEETING ON

REAL SOLUTIONS TO THE CLIMATE CRISIS

We have enough resources to meet everyones needs

but not everyones greed.

C limate Change is one of the most overcharging and serious

challenges humanity is facing at present and will dispropor-

tionately affect the poor, who have contrib-

uted least to its cause. This sentiments were

shared by many attending the conference organised

by Friends of the Earth Mozambique, held in Capital

Maputo from the 21- 23 April 2015.

The conference was attended by local communities,

activists working on international Climate Justice Movements building,

Mozambican government officials, as well as movements from Southern

Africa.

The summit objective was to bring together community members, farm-

ers and international community who are faced by the threat of climate

change, dirty energy and land grabbing. The message was directed to

big corporations who continue to pollute the environment even if all the

dangerous sign are there and pointing directly at their door step.

False solutions of climate change are simply fraudulent, even if they

were to succeed, all scenarios reviewed by scientist show that Africa

would suffer sever negative impacts from such moves; said Nnimmo

Bassey.

Africa in particularly is vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. The

causes of climate change cannot be addressed by a single country in

isolation. This is a global problem requiring global solutions achieved

through the concerted and cooperatives efforts of all countries, she said.

Countries like South Africa with companies like Eskom and Sasol were

singled out as one of the most polluters in the continent. Already last

year and early 2015 in Mozambique, hundreds of thousands were dis-

placed by floods. Coal pollution by companies such as Sasol and Eskom

ends up in Mozambique through rivers, streams and dams,

Secunda is the single largest sources of greenhouse energy in

the world, said Bobby Peek, speaking on Energy Transfor-

mation.

1.3 billion people dont have any access to electricity, 3 billion

depend on traditional solid fuels for cooking and eating, dirty

energy impacts on social lifes and 7million died in 2012 around the

globe because of air pollution and fossil fuel, this were some of the facts

presented by the panellist at the summit.

Rural women were mentioned as the primary victim of climate change as

it impacts in their role as primary producers of food throughout the conti-

nent, and as the main reproducers of family. On food security the summit

concludes by saying agro- ecology can contribute towards mitigation

against the many global crises. It can contribute towards food sovereign-

ty, reduce poverty and rural-urban migration and empower rural com-

munities.

Across the world people are rising up to the fight climate change, to fight

dirty energy, and to demand transformation of energy and food systems.

Real solutions to climate crisis exit, they include stopping fossil fuels,

building clean, sustainable, community- based power solutions, steep

reductions in carbon emissions, transforming our food system and stop

We demand all govern-

ments to put a stop to

false solutions to the

climate crisis.

#TEAM GREEN THINKERS

Go Green Tembisa Environmental Forum, is a registered NPO 122-866,

registered with the Registrar of NPOs on the 21 June 2013.

Who is Mr Chairman: My name is Vusi Dibane Mhlongo, Chairperson of

Go Green Tembisa, I was born

in Natal Spruit Mpumalanga

and graduated in Bookkeeping

Accounting. I am currently do-

ing an Environmental Learnership Program with Ekurhuleni Mu-

nicipality (NQF Level 4). I have passion on championing the inter-

est of environmental justice and I have participated on numerous

projects before.

Who is Ms Treasurer: My name is Sibongile Barbarah Ndlovu,

born and bred in Tembisa. I am the Treasure of Go Green Tembisa

and a Ward Committee member of SRAC in Ward 11. My respon-

sibilities include but not limited to organising and supervising

community events on Heritage Day, Womens Day as well as

Sports activities. My educational background includes a short

course in Sports Management, Early Childhood Development Pro-

grams from EWC and a Certificate in Bread and Flour Confection-

ary NQF level 2. I consider myself an enthusiastic environmentalist

who has volunteered in my community for the past four years

working around issues of environment and Community Develop-

ment as well helping learners at Phuthumani Primary School.

Who is Mr Gen. Sec. I was born Mmatlou wa ga Tsipa in a small

village of Moletjie Ga Mphela, Limpopo province. I am the Gen-

eral Secretary of Go Green Tembisa. I have qualifications in Public

Relations Management, majored in Communication Science and

Media Studies from University of Johannesburg, coupled with

short business courses from Regenesys and Media Literacy South-

ern Africa. I have work experience as an Intern Communications

Officer and as an Account Executive for a Communication and

Public Relations consultancy. I am currently doing an online Envi-

ronmental short course with University of East Anglia, London as well as doing lessons on Environmental

Politics with Earth Life Africa. I am fanatical about issues of Climate Justice at local level and I have been do-

ing freelance work for the past two years.

Who is Mr PR: My name is Mpule Merthen Mapota, born and bred

in Tembisa. I am the Public Relations Officer of GGT, Sound Engi-

neer at Tembisa Christian Church and a Kingdom Care centre Youth

Leader. My expertise includes computer studies, basic first aid, fire

safety, as well as certificate in Land Scaping and Irrigation. I have

participated in financial education and mini enterprise programs. I

am focused, energetic, dedicated and passionate about issues of

environment with strong desire about change creativity.

Please check out for the rest of our executive members in our next issue.

Vusi Dibane Mhlongo, Chairperson

Tshepo Tsipa, Gen .Sec

Mpule Mapota, Public Relations Officer

Sbongile Ndlovu, Treasurer

PICTURE POWER: Climate Change Justice Conference, Mozambique, Maputo.

PICTURE POWER: Go Green pitched to clean this stream in Tembisa, Ekurhuleni

tal challenges in the community

of Tembisa and the surrounding

areas.

With experience from Govern-

ment as an intern and working as

an Account Executive for a PR

and Communication consultancy.

Mmatlou come with a lot of expe-

rience in media and communica-

tion consultancy.

We currently looking for gradu-

ates and under graduates in Hu-

manities, Law and Accounting

who are passionate about issues

of environment and willing to

gain experience operating at

NPO level to gain experience and

better chance of getting a paid

job. We aim to create opportuni-

Ownmedia is an independent em-

powerment Public Relations and

Communications organisation oper-

ating at NPO level. It owns all the

inclusive publication and distribu-

tion rights of Earthriza Newsletter.

In short we provide advisory role on

Public Relations, Media Liaison,

Stakeholder Management and

Events Management at NPO level.

A brainchild of Mmatlou, a universi-

ty graduate in Public Relations and

Media Studies from the University of

Johannesburg with numerous short

courses in Business Management

from Regenyses and Media Literacy

Southern Africa.

He was inspired by the fact that

most NPOs and NGOs at local level

lack the capacity of operating their

businesses at a more focused and

professional level as it does not at-

tract qualified and experienced indi-

viduals. This led to the coming and

going of most of these organization.

Currently studying an online Envi-

ronmental course offered by the

university of Anglia, London, Mmat-

lou is determined to dedicate this

unique platform to all environmen-

ties for ourselves by identifying

problems within our communities

offering highly quality services

through our innovative and crea-

tive vision

All rights reserved @ copyrights

Mission

To engage with individuals who have the instinct

and inspiration to embark on a process of communi-

ty development on environmental issues.

Vision

To develop our communities into fully multi skill and

experts that can contribute to the refinement of the

community development on environmental matters.

161 Enhlanzeni Section

Tembisa, 1632

Mobile: +27 733261553

Email: [email protected]

Email: [email protected]

f: earthrise Ekurhuleni

environmental movement

f: gogreen Tembisa

A candle loses nothing by lighting

another candle

OWNMEDIA PUBLICATIONS

Mmatlou wa ga Tsipa: Founder and Editor In

chief