Mbilwi the winner of recycling programme

Mbilwi High School in Sibasa is the winner of the high school category of this year’s Coca-Cola Beverages South Africa (CCBSA) Schools Recycling Programme. The results were announced during an event in Auckland Park, Johannesburg, during the past week.

According to a statement by the organisers, the top six schools won R200 000 in cash prizes. Mbilwi and the winner of the primary school category, Eqinisweni Primary School from Inanda, KwaZulu-Natal, each received R50 000. The remaining R100 000 was split between the second runners-up (R20 000 each) and the first runners-up (R30 000 each).

The Deputy Minister of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries, Ms Magdeline Sotyu, and Miss Earth South Africa, Lungo Katete, attended the event.

“Globally, a culture of recycling and the proper management of waste materials is best established from a young age and reaffirmed at schools, where children spend a substantial portion of their daily lives,” said CCBSA Enterprise and Community Development Head Tsholo Mqhayi.

CCBSA’s Schools Recycling Programme started in 2011 and is central to its integrated approach to repositioning the entire polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastics value chain towards environmental sustainability. By getting learners involved in recycling at an early age, the company is working towards cultivating environmental awareness, appreciation and responsibility. Through the programme, students learn to reduce, reuse and, ultimately, recycle their litter and rubbish to create a cleaner South Africa.

“The intention and vision of the programme is to create a future generation of South Africans that is committed to ensuring that waste does not end up as litter or on a landfill site,” added Mqhayi. “A key component is to ensure that we provide infrastructure for the creation of revenue streams and recycling-market access, so that they can earn money while they rejuvenate the local ecosystem.” 

Date:16 December 2019

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