Employment for 14 714 young people - MEC Siboniso Duma has announced
Today, in my capacity as the MEC for Environmental Affairs, I will interact with young people who have been employed by the department as part of the greening revolution. The event will take place at Umlazi Comtech Grounds at 09h00.
The department of environmental affairs, guided by the agenda adopted by the Council on Climate Change, is rolling out initiatives aimed at protecting our environment.
Municipalities have experienced a number of extreme weather patterns in the past five years, ranging from droughts and heat waves to extreme storms bringing severe lightning and flooding.
We are cognizant of the unfortunate reality that ordinary members of society are the first to bear the brutal brunt of such impacts and climate change.
The destruction of socio-economic infrastructure and our economy is our major concern.
For these reasons, we have employed more than 14,714 energetic youth who will be foot soldiers, whose responsibilities will include the following:
- Protecting our environment;
- Accelerating the implementation of climate change mitigation measures;
- Fighting the impact of waste;
- Fighting invasive plants;
There is a silent army marching across the province that looks harmless, yet it is growing by the day.
This ‘army’ is depleting the province's water supply. It is intensifying wildfires, reducing agricultural productivity, and threatening globally significant biodiversity.
This army is what we call an invasive alien species. There are more than 539 registered alien plants. Invasive species steadily diminish water resources, as they typically use significantly more water than native vegetation.
Critically, the greening revolution involves grassroots mobilization against littering and illegal dumping. Litter is often carried by stormwater systems and streams into rivers and, in coastal areas, into the ocean, where it impacts negatively on our beaches and freshwater marine life.
The greening revolution is the launch of our unprecedented effort to ensure that KwaZulu-Natal becomes greener, cleaner, sustainable, and prosperous.
Enquiries
Ndabezinhle Sibiya | Spokesperson | MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs
Cell: 082 375 4742
