Latest news with #ObakengRamabodu
The Citizen
17 hours ago
- General
- The Citizen
Big change for those catching bees in Tshwane
The new by-law aims to protect residents against fatal attacks. A new bee by-law in Pretoria can not only save lives but also contribute to the bee farming and honey industry. City of Tshwane MMC for environment and agriculture management Obakeng Ramabodu confirmed that the city has approved a by-law on the keeping of bees to protect residents against potentially fatal attacks. 'The Tshwane council has approved the revised by-law which seeks to regulate the keeping of bees in urban areas. The by-law is necessary to strike a balance between the keeping of bees in urban areas and the health and safety of the residents of the city,' he said. Ramabodu said bees are important to food security, as they pollinate most edible plants, fruits and vegetables in gardens as well as ornamental plants. 'However, bees such as the African honeybee can also be fatal. They attack humans and animals if disturbed, aggravated or agitated. As such, humans who are allergic to bee stings may die from the attacks of these bees if they are not treated immediately.' What the by-laws say Ramabodu said that most residential areas are becoming denser and the keeping of bees on small properties creates a health risk for neighbouring properties. The by-law encourages beekeepers to use catch boxes to relocate bees that have naturalised in residential areas and have become a nuisance to the residents. 'Beekeepers are encouraged to keep bees in areas that do not threaten the health of their neighbours. This bylaw will control the keeping of beehives in residential areas. The by-law excludes the keeping of bees on any nature reserves, natural open spaces, agricultural land and any other property zoned for beekeeping,' he said. Transvaal Agricultural Union chairman Bennie van Zyl said there were many bees in Pretoria. 'Bees are very important to us as farmers and the pre-existence of our coexistence. We depend on the work that bees do and their role in plants,' he said. Van Zyl said bee farming was a very positive development, not only beneficial for the agricultural sector but also a step in preserving the bee species and protecting the public. ALSO READ: Limpopo farmers use bee barriers to deter elephants Bee farmer welcomes law change Local bee farmers such as Alex van Rooyen believe the new bylaw will make their lives easier because they can use a catch box or a swarm trap to relocate the bees and continue farming with them. 'Now they can legally catch bees which they couldn't before. 'It means we can start farming with more bees and increase honey production. Additionally, it will help the public with their bee problems at home and eliminate them. 'This will help bees. Currently, we have to catch bees in the fields and the bush. This makes it easier for us to put up a catch box or a swarm trap to relocate the bees and farm with them,' he said. NOW READ: 'Bees are helping me through a terminal auto-immune disease' – Lulu Letlape
IOL News
3 days ago
- General
- IOL News
New urban beekeeping by-law in Tshwane aims to enhance residential safety
Tshwane MMC for Environment and Agriculture Management, Obakeng Ramabodu, hopes the new by-law will mitigate the risks of urban beekeeping as Tshwane's residential areas become increasingly dense. Image: Supplied / City of Tshwane The City of Tshwane has approved a new by-law regulating beekeeping in urban areas, citing growing concerns over the health risks posed by bees in increasingly dense residential neighbourhoods. Obakeng Ramabodu, Member of the Mayoral Committee for Environment and Agriculture Management, expressed hopes that the new by-law will help mitigate the risks associated with urban beekeeping as the city's residential areas continue to grow in density. He stated that the approval of the reviewed by-law regulating urban beekeeping is essential to balance the keeping of bees in urban areas with the health and safety of city residents. While bees play a crucial role in food security by pollinating plants, fruits, and vegetables, Ramabodu noted that bees such as the African honeybees can also be fatal and attack humans and animals if disturbed, aggravated, or agitated. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ He said: 'As such, humans who are allergic to bee stings may die from the attacks of these bees if they are not treated immediately. Most residential areas are becoming denser, and the keeping of these bees on small properties creates a health risk for neighbouring properties.' He encouraged beekeepers to locate their beehives in areas that do not pose a health risk to nearby residents. 'This by-law will control the keeping of beehives in residential areas. The by-law excludes the keeping of bees on any nature reserves, natural open spaces, agricultural land, and any other property zoned for beekeeping,' he said. He explained that the by-law promotes the use of catch boxes to safely relocate bees that have become a nuisance in residential areas, and its implementation will help protect residents' rights. The new by-law follows a call by the Freedom Front Plus last year for Tshwane to urgently review and amend its outdated municipal by-law on residential beekeeping. Party councillor Mari Joubert said: 'The by-law was last reviewed in 2005, and the FF Plus frequently receives complaints from residents about neighbours keeping bees, which poses a possible danger to people and their pets. Also, beehives may not be randomly destroyed.' She had previously noted that the outdated by-law failed to distinguish between agricultural, business, and residential areas, and was also not aligned with national legislation, while not promoting bee conservation. She also urged residents who keep bees to familiarise themselves with the bylaw and adhere to it strictly, warning that violators may face a R300 fine.
The Citizen
5 days ago
- General
- The Citizen
Andries Tatane Cleaning Campaign comes to Atteridgeville
Ward 51 in Atteridgeville recently was the target of a clean up operation in an effort to address illegal dumping hotspots. Led by the MMC for Environmental Agriculture, Cllr Obakeng Ramabodu, and run under the banner of the Andries Tatane Campaign, it took place on July 11. Ramabodu launched the City of Tshwane's Andries Tatane Clean-Up Campaign earlier this month with a clean-up in the CBD, with the aim to educate residents about a clean city. The MMC says they want to work with private businesses across all seven regions to ensure the city and townships remain clean. 'There were some illegal dumping spots we've identified over the past five months, and we came here to check if they are being maintained or if the dumping is continuing. 'We are very happy that those illegal sites are being maintained for the time being, but what is important is that we invite businesses. 'We've dropped letters to different shops and stakeholders, and we are asking them to join us in this journey of cleaning the outside of their area. Let's have a clean city,' Ramabodu said. He also took aim at motorists for the part that they play in illegal dumping, encouraging them not to discard litter out of their vehicles while driving, as it only adds to the issue. 'I'm now convinced that our motorists, not all of them of course, are the ones who contribute to this littering problem. 'We want to call on motorists to at least try not to litter because most of the robots, intersections and traffic where cars stop are where we have problems. 'So let's all take responsibility for making sure we have a clean city,' Ramabodu said. Stakeholders also planted trees and cleaned the Atteridgeville cemetery in Ward 51 last month, as part of Environmental Awareness Month. Watch here: Andries Tatane clean up campaign with the community of Atteridgeville ward 51 we want a clean City of Tshwane in all the townships . #EFF_in_Government — Obakeng COT MMC Environmental Agriculture . (@RamaboduObakeng) July 11, 2025 Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to [email protected] or phone us on 083 625 4114. For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
IOL News
08-07-2025
- Health
- IOL News
Tshwane's ambitious plan to plant 20,000 trees to combat climate change
Obakeng Ramabodu, Tshwane's MMC for Environmental and Agriculture Management, announces the city's ambitious tree-planting initiative to combat climate change. Image: Supplied / City of Tshwane Planting trees can be a highly effective way to combat the severe impacts of climate change, making the environment safer and more livable for everyone. This was the message relayed by the Member of the Mayoral Committee for Environmental and Agriculture Management, Obakeng Ramabodu, as the City of Tshwane gears up to plant 20,000 trees across the municipality. Tshwane's tree-planting initiative will support the Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and Environment's 'One Million Trees' campaign, launched at the Pretoria Botanical Gardens, aiming to tackle climate change, food insecurity, and promote biodiversity. Ramabodu said: 'As the City of Tshwane, we are on board and we are pledging that we are going to contribute towards this programme of one million trees and we will be doing it in the townships, in the Early Childhood Development centres, in the churches and schools.' He called on communities to support the initiative, stating it would create a safe, healthy environment, help mitigate climate change, and ultimately protect the well-being of the people To fulfil its part in the one million trees campaign, the city will plant at least 20,000 trees in different parts of the municipality. Ramabodu said: 'Trees are crucial for a healthy planet and thriving human societies. Trees filter pollutants from the air, trapping dust and other particles on their leaves, branches, and trunks. They release oxygen, which is essential for human and animal life. 'Studies have shown that access to trees and green spaces can improve mental health, reduce stress, and even prevent neurodegeneration.' Mpho Mathalauga, a horticulturist at the Pretoria Botanical Garden's South African Botanical Institute, mentioned that there are 11 tree banks for plant storage, and the one in Pretoria will also be used to store plants donated as part of the campaign. 'We already have over 700 trees donated, and so this speaks to how people are supporting this initiative of one million trees. The trees will be planted in all the towns and the townships across the City of Tshwane and Gauteng. We are happy to participate in this and to see the city endorsing this initiative to ensure that the residential areas have trees as well,' he said. He emphasised the importance of trees in bringing health benefits and greenery to residential areas. Mathalauga urged citizens nationwide to preserve trees, avoid cutting them down, and instead plant more, emphasising that this is crucial in addressing climate change, as many areas currently lack sufficient greenery. [email protected]
IOL News
05-06-2025
- General
- IOL News
Take action this World Environment Day: Stop littering at Mabopane Taxi Station
City of Tshwane's Member of the Mayoral Committee for Environment and Agriculture Management, Obakeng Ramabodu, and taxi rank officials inspect an illegal dumping site adjacent to Mabopane Taxi Rank during a World Environment Day commemoration event. Image: Rapula Moatshe As part of the commemoration of World Environment Day, City of Tshwane's Member of the Mayoral Committee for Environment and Agriculture Management, Obakeng Ramabodu, issued a stern warning to smokers to stop discarding cigarette butts indiscriminately, particularly at taxi ranks. "We want to encourage them to start taking care of the environment," Ramabodu said during the event held at Mabopane Taxi Station on Thursday. The event aimed to promote a culture of maintaining a clean environment and to encourage the public to refrain from littering and disposing of waste indiscriminately. Ramabodu's call comes as the taxi station faces environmental challenges, such as a lack of skip bins for hawkers to dispose of their rubbish. Vuyisile Jaxa, secretary of the Soshanguve Taxi Owners Association, emphasised the importance of having waste bins available to encourage people to dispose of their waste properly. However, he noted that the problems at the taxi station go beyond litter, adding that commuters and taxi drivers are also grappling with an infestation of oversized rodents, describing them as "rats that are as big as cats". "And can you imagine that these rats are being fed by our people when they throw litter around at the back of their stalls," he said. The taxi association has teamed up with Botshilu Private Hospital and other stakeholders under the banner 'Keeping Soshanguve Clean Campaign' to address these issues. "We want to roll out this thing quarterly to make sure the whole of Soshanguve is clean. It is very important to have skip bins and small dustbins next to the stalls and next to our taxis. People come with food, especially when taking long-distance taxis. If there are dustbins nearby, we can encourage them to throw leftovers inside them," Jaxa said. In response, Ramabodu acknowledged the problems at the station and pledged to prioritise the provision of waste bins and to formalise dumping sites in the area. "We are going to direct all dumping to a specific area so that the municipality can collect it consistently. What is important is that we have identified the issue of the waste bins around the station and we are going to prioritise that," he said. Despite the challenges, Ramabodu commended the taxi station for being relatively clean compared to other stations in Gauteng. "We want to encourage them to continue doing the good work," he said. [email protected]
