Bushbuckridge - Public Enterprises Minister Malusi Gigaba will on Monday plant trees in Mpumalanga and also hand over a house to a needy pastor as part of Arbor Week celebrations.
Gigaba, who will be accompanied by provincial leaders, will plant trees at Wisane Primary School in Thulamahashe and then hand over a newly-built house to a pastor in the same area.
"[The minister] will also address learners on the importance of the week, sustainable living and intimate relationship between food security and climate change," said Gigaba's spokesman Mayihlome Tshwete on Friday.
"Thereafter, the minister and the delegation will proceed to hand-over a newly-built house to Pastor Freddy Mashaba, whose mud house was dilapidated and not fit for human habitat."
Tshwete said the community identified Pastor Mashaba's need when commemorating Mandela Day in July.
"Different stakeholders donated cement and building material to rebuild the house during Mandela Day and it is upon learning of the plight of Pastor Mashaba that Minister Gigaba decided to mobilise further resources for a complete overhaul of the rebuilding process to ensure the pastor has a proper four-roomed house," he said.
He said a number of roleplayers, including the Bushbuckridge Local Municipality's circuit in Thulamahashe, Eskom and the South African Forestry Company donated furniture, kitchen units, and other materials to ensure Pastor Mashaba moved into a house fitted with water and lights.
Tshwete said this year's Arbor Week was aimed at celebrating greening achievements.
The celebrations include "planting trees to commemorate people who dedicated their lives to the liberation, nation building and community upliftment.
