22 March 2007
Delegates from local governments all over South Africa today attended a
Waste Management Conference jointly hosted by the departments of environmental
affairs and tourism and provincial and local government.
The aims of the conference include providing participants with a full
understanding of the draft Waste Management Bill and formulating
recommendations for addressing issues identified during the conference.
The latter may include proposals to amend the draft Bill where
applicable.
"Having recognised the devastating effects of poor waste management
practices of the past on the majority of South Africans, especially the poor,
we set out to reform the policy and regulatory framework governing waste
management in South Africa," said Ms Rejoice Mabudafhasi, Deputy Minister of
Environmental Affairs and Tourism, in opening the conference.
She added that the conference "espouses government's vision to develop,
implement and maintain an integrated pollution and waste management system that
contributes to sustainable development and a measurable improvement in the
quality of life of all South Africans. We cannot allow ourselves and the nation
to drown in waste while we can use it to create employment and eradicate
poverty."
The Deputy Minister will tonight announce the winners of the national
cleanest town competition. Recognition will come in the form of a R1 million
award for the winning town and R750 000 and R500 000 respectively for the
runners up.
The Deputy President, Ms Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, will address the conference
on Friday where she is expected to further highlight the Presidency's highest
commitment to cleaning up South Africa.
The conference presents a rare opportunity for both the public and private
sector to discuss the challenges that face the waste sector and through the
Waste Management Bill, to begin to chart a new path for waste management in
South Africa.
For more information contact:
Dries van der Walt
Zazise Communications
Tel: (012) 310 3899
Cell: 082 342 0090
Savita Mbuli
Zazise Communications
Cell: 083 357 0907
Issued by: Department of Environmental Affairs
22 March 2007
