Mpumalanga protects history
May 14 2008 12:03:33:110PM  - (SA)  

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For a province that is world renowned for its game reserves, breathtaking scenic beauty and open spaces, little is known about the history that lies in Mpumalanga, says the provincial government.

Premier Thabang Makwetla’s office is looking for private companies to implement and coordinate one of the province’s flagship programmes, the Heritage, Greening Mpumalanga and Tourism Programme.

“The objective of this programme is to ensure the preservation of the heritage and environmental resources base of the province to optimize socio-economic development,” said Sanjay Singh, director of heritage services in the Department of Culture, Sport and Recreation.

He said the Heritage, Greening and Tourism Programme required expertise in various fields such as heritage preservation and management, environmental conservation, waste and pollution management and tourism development.

Ray Tywakadi, chairperson of the Heritage, Greening Mpumalanga and Tourism Technical Committee said: “We want people with ideas, who are going to be hands-on with this programme.”

Tywakadi said successful service providers would be appointed for three years and added that they would be expected to coordinate and align all three components of the programme.

“The contract is a full-time appointment because we need people who are proactive,” said Tywakadi.

The heritage component of the programme involves identifying, recording, preserving and representing the province’s heritage sites and other resources.

Last year, the provincial government under the leadership of Makwetla and Prof. Peter Delius from the School of Social Sciences at the University of the Witwatersrand, published a book called Mpumalanga History and Heritage to raise awareness about Mpumalanga’s rich history and heritage.

The greening component aims to maintain a clean and healthy environment, which includes planting 150 000 trees and practising good waste management and pollution principles.

The tourism side of the programme aims to promote the province’s rich cultural and natural heritage to transform and expand the tourism industry and create jobs. – BuaNews

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