Water Affairs and Forestry Minister Ronnie Kasrils has suggested that freed hostages Callie and Monique Strydom plant a tree in remembrance of their four-month ordeal on Jolo island.
The minister made the suggestion to master of ceremonies and television presenter Vuyo Mbuli at the launch of National Arbor Week in Atteridgeville near Pretoria yesterday.
"Last year I launched a campaign of remembrance urging South Africans to plant trees in memory of people, and I am again continuing with this as part of National Arbor Week 2000 - September 1 to 7."
This year's Arbor Week includes, for the first time, a national urban-greening effort, to which Kasrils' department has committed R1,2-million. The money will, through the recently renamed non-government organisation Trees and Food for Africa - previously known as Trees for Africa - support urban-greening and tree-planting efforts and initiatives at local government level.
Another initiative, run jointly by Eskom and the NGO, which benefited from the minister's largesse is Eduplant. This is a national competition encouraging schools to start and maintain food gardens.
"I hope the R2-million which my department, with full government approval, is giving to Eduplant will sustain it for a few years."
The other main aspects of National Arbor Week 2000 are to protect and expand South Africa's indigenous forests, which currently cover less than 0,5% of the land, and the prevention of veld and forest fires. - Pretoria Correspondent