Deputy Minister Bernice Swarts Leads Desertification And Drought Day Ministerial Imbizo In Rietfontein

This document is a news item from the ZF Mgcawu District Municipality website reporting that Deputy Minister Bernice Swarts (Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment) led a Desertification and Drought Day Ministerial Imbizo in Rietfontein. The Imbizo brought together government representatives, stakeholders and community members to address drought-prone environmental challenges, including land degradation and water scarcity. It included the official handover of two newly completed boreholes to drought-affected communities and an invasive alien plant clearing programme expected to create employment opportunities for 84 young people. The article notes the event was uploaded on 17 June 2026 and quotes the Deputy Minister: “Water is life and sanitation is dignity.”