Community Environmental Education and Awareness Workshop Empowers Kagiso Residents to Go Green

Thabo Motlhabi

“Save the environment, save yourself. Be part of the solution, not part of pollution. Keep it clean, keep it green.” On Thursday, 31 July 2025, Mogale City Municipality’s Department of Integrated Environmental Management hosted a successful community environmental education and awareness workshop at the Family Revival Church Ministry in Kagiso 2. The initiative, organised in collaboration with various stakeholders, aimed to promote environmental awareness and sustainable living. 

The workshop brought community members of Kagiso 2, EPWP workers, and youth of Kagiso 2 to engage in meaningful conversation and practical action around environmental challenges and solutions. 

The primary objective of the campaign was to educate and raise awareness about environmental issues. 

Encourage sustainable behaviours within the communities. 

Promote community-driven solutions to climate change and environmental degradation. 

Foster environmental stewardship and civic responsibility. 

The workshop emphasised that environmental care is a shared responsibility and that collective action can significantly improve the state of the community. With many areas in the city affected by illegal dumping leading to air and water pollution and posing serious health risks, the need for urgent change was the key message.

As Mogale City Municipality’s Department of Integrated Environmental Management Mrs Zama Ngidi said, “It’s possible to keep our environment clean. If people in the suburbs can do it, so can we in the townships. It’s not only about municipal services; it’s about individual responsibility. Illegal dumping is a health hazard. People are dumping dead animals and waste in our neighbourhood. We must take care of our environment – if we don’t, it won’t take care of us.” 

Her call for a mindset shift resonated with attendees, stressing that lasting change begins with community values and habits. 

One of the workshop highlights was the promotion of Adopt-a-Spot initiatives, where community members were encouraged to clean and maintain local spaces for the benefits of all. 

Suggestions Included 

Establishing community gardening 

Planting trees and fruit-bearing plants using green space for food production or microbusinessesto support the less fortunate. 

Representatives from the Gauteng Department of Environmental Affairs committed their support, offering refusal bags and cleaning equipment for the scheduled community cleanupcampaign.

Donations of trees and seeds, including fruit trees, to community greening projects. 

As the founder and chairlady of the Mogale Business Investment Forum said, “We advocated for this programme alongside Ward Counsellor 13 to spread environmental education and raise awareness about the changes of illegal dumping. More communities must benefit from such initiatives.”

The workshop also addressed green jobs as an intersection of environmental sustainability and economic growth. 

Opportunities Identified 

Waste Recycling Cooperation 

Community gardening projects 

Environmental education and mobilisation efforts 

The event concluded with participants heading out to clean in the illegal dumping site near the church, a symbolic and practical act of commitment to their environment. 

This workshop marks the beginning of a growing movement in Kagiso and Mogale City. Through awareness, education, and action, communities are being empowered to take control of their environmental future – one green space at a time. 

Together, we can build a cleaner, greener, and healthier community for all.