THE province of Mpumalanga recently launched the Heritage, Greening Mpumalanga and Tourism Flagship Programme at Songimvelo Nature Reserve.
The project forms part of the big five flagships that were approved by the provincial cabinet in 2006 aimed at growing the regional economy and advancing socio-economic development. More specifically, the Heritage, Greening Mpumalanga and Tourism Flagship is aimed at ensuring the preservation of the heritage (cultural and natural) and the environmental resource base of the province through the promotion of sustainable tourism.
Speaking during the launch, Mpumalanga Premier, Thabang Makwetla, urged South Africans to value the important role that land plays in their lives. “We are who we are because of our primary endowment, the land. It is from our land where we draw our identity, culture and character.”
The specific objectives of the flagship include:
• Acknowledging, recording, transforming and preserving Mpumalanga Province’s natural and cultural heritage;
• Conducting spatial planning and management of the natural environment through the greening programme;
• Optimising Mpumalanga Province’s tourism potential to facilitate economic growth, sustainable development and job creation;
• Ensuring a clean and healthy environment to the people living in and visiting the Mpumalanga Province;
• Creating awareness on the importance of efficient usage of cultural and natural resources to ensure a “good life” for future generations.
