Speech by the Deputy Minister of Environmental Affairs, Ms Barbara Thomson at the launch of the Environmental Protection And Infrastructure Programmes in Ga-Segonyana Local Municipality, Northern Cape Province as part of National Imbizo Focus Week
“Creating an environment that is not harmful to the health and wellbeing of our people”
The Mayor of Ga-Segonyana Local Municipality
The Speaker of Council
All Councillors present
Our Traditional leadership present
Members of the Media
Community members
I feel privileged to be afforded an opportunity to talk to you and with you today as the representative of Government and Department of Environmental Affairs.
As you are aware, our department is entrusted with an important task of ensuring that everyone has a right to an environment which is not harmful to their health or well-being and to have the environment protected for the benefit of present and future generations through reasonable legislative and other measures. This is a task handed down to us by the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa.
We have over the past 20 years, working side by side with all spheres of government and the society at large, developed good policies and programmes to ensure that these rights are realised. We have done this, as government, simply because we have an interest of our people at heart and that we are committed to the supreme law of our country – the constitution.
Certainly, you will agree with me when I say that policies alone without practical actions and the necessary resources cannot achieve an environment that is not harmful to our health and that is protected for the benefit of the present and future generations. We really need practical actions and resources to realise these rights.
It is for this reason that the department had designed an Environmental Protection and Infrastructure Programme (EPIP) to fund and implement projects that seek to translate policies into action. This programme is focused on Greening and open Space Management; Working on Waste; Working for Land; Working for the Coast; People and Parks; Wildlife Economy; and Youth Environmental Services projects.
As the department we are quite aware that challenges of our people are not limited to environmental problems. There are teething challenges of unemployment, shortage of skills, small business underdevelopment, and the list is endless.
Through the same programme- EPIP we are trying but successfully to kill at least more than one bird with one stone. As such labour intensive methods are being used to implement projects funded through this programme in order to maximise work opportunities for the local people. Similarly accredited training is provided to workers recruited and employed in this programme in order to equip them with necessary skills so that their chances of getting employment beyond the duration of the project are increased.
This programme is implemented throughout the country in different needy districts and local municipalities. Gasegonyana Municipality is not an exception. We have received applications for funding from this municipality in the period between April and June 2013. Being true to our commit to creating an environment which is not harmful to your health or well-being, we have approved funding for implementation of two projects in this area.
The first project is Gasegonyana Waste Management project. This project is allocated a budget of 25 million to plan and develop the landfill site with supporting infrastructure and equipment. The actual implementation of this project started in January this year and is scheduled to be completed in December 2016.
The second project is Gasegonyana Greening project which is allocated a budget of 12 million for the construction of two community recreation parks in GaMopedi and Bathlaros locations respectively. The actual implementation of this project has commenced now in April 2015 and is anticipated to be completed in December this year.
As indicated before, these projects will be implemented using labour intensive methods and as a result will create 426 work opportunities for the local people. Accredited training opportunities for the local people will also be created and so as the opportunities for local small businesses to provide goods and service during implementation of these projects.
Ladies and Gentlemen, these two initiatives will ensure that none-recyclable and recyclable waste generated from businesses and households, which is often littered in our surroundings will be transported to land fill site and buyback centre respectively, and that open spaces that are used for illegal dumping of waste and criminal activities will be converted to recreation parks. As a result, the community of Gasegonyana will be living in an environment that is not harmful to their health and well-being.
Apart from these two projects, Gasegonyana municipality is also benefiting from our Youth Jobs in Waste project which is a province-wide initiative intended to build waste management capacity within municipal administration. To this effect, 14 young people have been placed in the municipal administration to support the municipality in terms of waste management. These young people have been trained in First Aid, Occupational Health, Environmental Education and Awareness, Computer practice and Landfill site operations. This also complements our drive to create an environment that is not harmful to the health and wellbeing of our people.
As I conclude, programme director, partnership is very key in the successful delivery of these projects. The department has provided much needed resources for this purpose. Equally the municipality has been actively participating in the projects from inception. It has further made commitments to maintain the infrastructure that will be built by these projects. Most importantly, the community should also play its part in ensuring that whilst using these facilities, vandalism is avoided at all cost. It will be encouraging when I come back to see the infrastructure that is well taken care of by the municipality and the community. Government is always willing to invest in areas where investment made is highly valued.
I leave you with these words by former President Nelson Mandela:
“Freedom should not be understood to mean leadership positions or even appointments to top positions. It must be understood as the transformation of the lives ordinary people in the hostels and the ghettos; in the squatter camps; on the farms and in the mine compounds. It means constant consultation between leaders and members of their organisations; it demands of us to be in constant touch with the people, to understand their needs, hopes and fears; and to work together with them to improve their conditions.”
What we are doing here today, is a concrete expression of the words of former President Nelson Mandela. We are here to meet with our people, to inform our people about our service delivery successes since the mandate you gave us in the 2014 general elections.
But more importantly, we are here to listen to our people and to allow them an opportunity to participate in government.
Let’s work together to ensure that we create an environment which is not harmful to our health and wellbeing.
I thank u.
Enquiries:
Zolile Nqayi
Cell: 082 898 6483
