Rolling up their sleeves to protect the environment, a group of over 160 Volkswagen Group South Africa (VWSA) employees and their loved-ones gathered in Gqeberha on Saturday morning, for the company’s Show of Hands volunteer event.
In partnership with the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB) and the Sustainable Seas Trust (SST), the event was held at SANCCOB’s premises on Saturday 12 November under the theme “There is only one planet”.
The Show of Hands initiative, which is held by VWSA once or twice a year, challenged volunteers to:
- Do a beach clean-up around Cape Recife, during which 170,5 kilograms of litter was collected
- Remove 100 alien plants, plant 17 indigenous trees and distribute mulch
- Paint cement benches, a bridge, murals and a jungle gym at SANCCOB
For this initiative, SST provided all the required equipment for the beach clean-up, including bags, gloves and tongs, as well as support staff. SANCCOB provided the tools and equipment needed for the removal of alien vegetation, with support staff to man all workstations.
“Environmental protection is of the utmost importance to VWSA as a business, and our employees clearly feel the same,” said Nonkqubela Maliza, Director of Corporate and Government Affairs at VWSA. “I am grateful for the dedication and selflessness shown by every volunteer who made an impact this past weekend, sacrificing their free time for this important cause.”
