Sotyu to hand over Mabama forestry plantation

Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) Deputy Minister, Makhotso Sotyu, will on Tuesday hand over the Mabama forestry plantation to the Mashamba Traditional Council in Limpopo. The handing over ceremony of the plantation, to be held at Vhembe TVET College in Ha-Mashamba, comes after the successful conclusion of a Community Forestry Agreement (CFA) between the Mashamba Traditional Council and the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE). The department said the handover of the plantation aims to empower communities living in the vicinity, enabling them to manage the asset effectively and participate meaningfully in the forestry economy. 'The plantation, with predominantly eucalyptus, plays a vital role in sustainable forestry management and is essential for the transformation agenda that is emphasised in the Commercial Forestry Sector Masterplan. This plantation measures approximately 71.92 hectares in extent,' the department said in a statement. Source: South African Governmen t News Agency