25 NOVEMBER 2010
Program Director
Executive Mayor: Cllr Dr Mdaka
Local Mayor: Cllr Khosi Vho-Makumbane
Councilors
CEO of Indalo Yethu: Ms Josephs-Langa
Members of the Community
Members of the media
Ladies and Gentlemen
I feel extremely honoured
and privileged to be here today, to be part
of this celebration that will see us handover
the Thulamela Buyisela Eco-Town Programme
to you as the community of Thulamela. I
am saying handover because I expect all
of the community members to take ownership
of this programme and its projects that
will see your area transformed for the better.
We are hosting this
ceremony under the Public Participation
Programme which is championed and endorsed
by Cabinet and implemented to ensure that
government always engages the citizenry,
which is you. Earlier this year Cabinet
took a decision that as leadership we must
engage and interact with various communities
to ensure that we are able to all of us
move forward in unison as a country and
as a people. What used to be called Izimbizo
have now been transformed into Public Participation
Programme. Development programme that we
implement must be those that benefit our
people and create job opportunities for
them as well.
This is the government
that you have voted into office, hence we
are here today to celebrate with you, listen
to your challenges while also working together
to finding common solution to these challenges.
Announcing the new Cabinet
earlier this month, President Jacob Zuma
challenged us all as representatives of
our communities that we must be a government
that knows where our people live. Indeed
we aim to ensure that this department knows
where you live.
I think we have responded
to the President’s call for actually we
know where you live; hence we deemed it
necessary to earmark Thulamela as one of
our key sites under the Buyisela Programme.
Hence we are here today with you.
Our celebration here
today coincides with the beginning of the
16 Days of Activism for No Violence against
Women and Children. The United Nations endorsed
this campaign that starts on 25 November
and ends on 10 December which is International
Human Rights Day each year with the aim
of reinforcing the year-long 365 Days Programme.
Part of this ANC led
government’s objectives is to ensure your
dignity as our people
is restored and ensures that as we build
a green
South Africa, these
efforts reach all the areas where the majority
of
our people live.
The Department of Environmental
Affairs is currently implementing R137 million
worth of projects in Limpopo , In addition
to that, projects worth some R107 million
are currently under planning.
As a result of the eco-towns
concept, as adopted by the Department seeking
to address environmental problems and challenges
faced by local municipalities in the environmental
management arena, Vhembe Municipality is
one of the ten municipalities which were
identified to be the recipients of the currently
piloted eco-towns concept.
In advancing the implementation
of the Buyisela Eco-Towns, the Department
has approved two projects for implementation
to the value of R57 million of which 5%
has been set aside for accredited training.
This Eco-Town Programme,
which we refer to as the Buyisela Programme,
is being implemented by the Department of
Environmental Affairs with Indalo Yethu
driving its implementation on our behalf.
We also work in conjunction with Thulamela
Local Municipality.
With this programme
it is our aim as the Department of Environmental
Affairs to address environmental problems
and challenges faced by local municipalities,
namely waste management, biodiversity loss,
water quality and management, climate change
and air pollution, environmental education
and awareness as well as related socio-economic
issues.
R41 million of the already
mentioned R57 million, is being allocated
to the Street Cleaning and Greening Project..
The project to be implemented over two years
currently employs 283 people..
The street cleaning
and greening of Thulamela municipality entails
acquisition and installation of bins, procurement
of street cleaning equipment, street furniture,
construction of gateways and street make
up, storage facilities, planting of trees
and ornamental plant, upgrading of public
facilities, clearing of open spaces, preparing
of composting, establishment of food gardens
and sorting facility.
Complementing the street
cleaning and greening project, another project
was approved for funding to the value of
R15 million and a total of 153 people will
be employed during the implementation of
this project. The project will, as part
of the major deliverables, come up with
the open space management plan for the entire
municipality, focusing on the greening and
creation of recreational parks and landscaping
on the identified sites.
I would like to challenge
you all as the residents and business communities
to embrace these positive changes that are
being brought about by this Programme of
Buyisela and all the projects.
When this project is
completed by 2012, Thulamela should have
transformed into a model eco-town with the
benefits seen and realized by all.
In conclusion, I want
to appeal to the municipality and the community
to maintain the infrastructure and jealously
guard against vandalism.
As government we are
not going to rest until our environment
is conserved.
As government we are
committed to stop all forms of abuse of
women and children.
Thank you.
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SPEECH BY THE MINISTER
OF WATER AND ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS, MINISTER
EDNA MOLEWA AT THE NGO STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
FORUM IN BOKSBURG ON THE 9TH NOVEMBER 2010
Director-General, Ms
Nosipho Ngcaba,
Deputy Directors-General,
Our Stakeholders,
Ladies and Gentlemen Good morning
I am happy to have been
granted this opportunity to address this
forum – my first engagement with you our
stakeholders, whose views and opinions we
as government will always treasure as they
assist in getting us to sharpen our policy
and regulatory instruments.
I am happy to be back
in the environment sector after having served
in this portfolio during my tenure in the
North West province some years back. I move
into this portfolio with all the intentions
of ensuring that we all as sector players
– government and non-government entities
- move forward in unison for the benefit
of all our people millions of whom continue
to vote this government into office without
failure irrespective of their squalid living
conditions.
We owe it to them to
work together to achieve more to save our
environment from degradation, to halt biodiversity
loss, to ensure that all our people are
exposed to acceptable levels of clean air,
and that the water they drink is of the
quality that we ourselves would be happy
to drink as well.
In the same vein, we
need to ensure that whatever we do in terms
of the Constitution finds harmony with the
work done by other departments and also
fulfilling similar sections our Constitution
such as “the right to economic activity”
to ensure economic growth and sustainable
development and creating jobs as well as
poverty eradication.
The Constitution stipulates
that all South Africans have a right to
an environment that is not harmful to their
health or well-being and to have the environment
protected for the benefit of present and
future generations.
For us to deliver on
that mandate effectively, we need to engage
with you all as the different role-players
and stakeholders in the environment sector
so that policy making is relevant and in
touch with the reality and the challenges
our different communities continue to face
on the ground. And that policy-making and
legislative frameworks do not hamper growth
but promote the country’s stated realisation
of a green economy.
We are gathered here
today to ensure that as a responsive and
responsible government, we continue to reach
out to all communities, be they geographically
defined or communities of interest. Your
voice is important to us as a government
and a department.
Our work as a department
is located in the new outcome-based approach
that government has adopted. Government
has agreed on the 12 outcomes as a key focus
of work to be done between now and 2014,
with each outcome having limited number
of measurable outputs and targets.
We respond to Outcome
10 – Environmental Assets and Natural Resources
that are valued, protected and continually
enhanced.
Each output is linked
to a set of activities that will help achieve
the targets and contribute to its outcome.
Each of the 12 outcomes has a delivery agreement
which in most cases, if not all, involve
all spheres of government and a range of
partners outside government. Combined, these
agreements reflect government’s delivery
and implementation plans for its foremost
priorities.
The deliverables identified
under this Outcome derive relevance and
significance from the State of the Nation
Address by the President early this year
wherein he promised that this government
will ensure that our environmental assets
and natural resources are valued, protected,
and continually enhanced.
We will have to work
in collaboration with the various national
departments, provincial departments and
municipalities in the spirit of co-operative
governance and recognition that environment
management and protection of natural resources
is a concurrent function.
The Constitution compels
us to take reasonable steps to prevent pollution
and ecological degradation, promote conservation
and secure ecologically sustainable development
and use of natural resources.
Our environment is deteriorating
and we must all be mindful that we are not
immune to the global environmental crisis.
Our country faces a number of current and
emerging issues related to climate change,
requiring intensive mobilisation to effectively
respond to these challenges.
Sustainable development
and efforts to mitigate climate change and/or
adapt to its impacts, in general, have a
mutually beneficial relationship.
Due to the nature of
its impacts on environmental, social and
economic systems Climate Change can no longer
be regarded as an environmental challenge
but rather a sustainable development challenge.
We must work together to ensure that our
response strategy also takes cognisance
of the new growth opportunity we are presented
with.
Although South Africa
makes up just 2% of the global land area
it is home to almost 10% of the world’s
plants and 7% of reptiles, birds and mammals.
Sadly much of our terrestrial ecosystems
and over 80 percent of our fresh water systems
are threatened.
Therefore our interventions
must be aimed at finding solutions to this
perennial problem for our people depend
on biodiversity goods and services for sustenance.
We rank among the world’s
20 biggest greenhouse gas emitters and are
the highest emitter in Africa.
Unaddressed, these issues
could seriously undermine our country’s
ability to pursue a sustainable development
path and our ability to address developmental
challenges we face as a developing country.
Spatial planning and spatial development
decisions are still fragmented and there
is still a need to address competing land
uses and ensure that industry and infrastructure
development programmes ensures the long
term sustainability of natural systems and
the environment.
As a sector, we have
agreed to address four critical problems
in order to achieve the set outcome. These
are:
1. Our water is unsustainably
used and the quality and quantity of water
resources is in decline;
2. Urgent need to reduce
green house gas emissions, prepare strategies
to cope with projected climate change impacts
and reverse the rising trend in relation
to the release of pollutants into the atmosphere;
3. Proper and better
management of our environment, and
4. Enhance the protection
of our biodiversity.
The President expects
us all to respond to these challenges and
I believe that we are equal to the task
at hand. We can only satisfactorily address
these critical problems when we all work
together for the good of our people and
for the improvement of their lives as well.
Unless our responses
are pro-poor, development-oriented and anchored
in an approach that gives meaning to our
people’s lives, an approach that is informed
by the challenges our people continue to
face daily, we will not be able to realise
any benefits from our efforts.
I believe that with
your support, engagement and constant feedback
mechanisms we can achieve more to ensure
that our tomorrow is better than our today.
Ke a leboga
Thank you
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GREEN SCORPIONS DECLARE
WELKOM UNLAWFUL MEDICAL WASTE DISPOSAL SITES
SAFE FOR USE
MEDIA STATEMENT
03 NOVEMBER 2010
The Environmental Management Inspectorate(Green
Scorpions) today, 03 November 2010 declared
the four illegal health care risk waste
(medical waste) disposal sites in Welkom
safe for use. This declaration follows the
close out inspections conducted by the Green
Scorpions at the sites.
The Green Scorpions
have expressed their satisfaction with the
clean up and rehabilitation process at Maximus
Bricks, Jonkersrus farm, Welkom showgrounds
and the Harmony Gold property.
The sites are free of
any medical waste and have been rehabilitated
accordingly. A criminal case is proceeding
in relation to this matter with the next
court date being 29 November 2010. On this
date a number of other parties will be added
to the already nine accused in this case.
Maximus Bricks was raided
in November 2009 and a significant amount
of medical waste was found to be buried
on the site, including sharps, viles, syringes,
drips, dirty bandages and general medical
waste. The execution of further search warrants
uncovered illegally dumped medical waste
at the other three sites.
The clean up of the
sites commenced in March 2010 with strict
conditions being set by the Department for
the removal, transport and disposal of the
medical waste.
