Mandela's Tree Lives On: South Africa Pushes 'One Billion Trees' Legacy Ahead of Heritage Day
Mandela's Tree Lives On: South Africa Pushes 'One Billion Trees' Legacy Ahead of Heritage Day
Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment Bernice Swarts visited the commemorative tree planted by Nelson Mandela at Steyn City, a parkland estate in Gauteng, in 2007, urging South Africans to embrace tree planting as an intergenerational responsibility.
The visit is part of the Presidential One Billion Trees Program and the campaign to plant 10 million trees on Heritage Day, September 24.
Key Highlights:
🟠"My Tree, My Oxygen": Trees are everyone's business, the minister told Sputnik Africa, encouraging every South African to plant trees, noting their role in providing oxygen, combating land degradation, and improving air quality.
🟠Mandela's Legacy: The tree symbolizes the lasting legacy of visionary leadership, Dr. Liaqat Azam of the Leading Like Mandela Institute emphasized. "When we stand under the shade [...] we stand under the legacy of a great leader," he said, quoting Wangari Maathai: "When you plant a tree, you are planting hope."
🟠Steyn City's Contribution: Over a million trees have been planted on the property, with 75 more added last week in support of the national initiative, Steyn City CEO Steven Louw revealed.
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