Members of the Provincial Legislature
Mayors and Councillors
Head of Department – Mr Rudi Ellis
Senior Managers, departmental and municipal officials
Ladies and gentlemen – all protocol observed
Someone once made the following statement – “I must do something” as opposed to “Something must be done”. The message is clear, the act of doing solves more problems than informing people that something needs to be done.
Good evening, welcome and thank you for joining us at the 2010 Annual Cleanest Town Competition awards. I would like to explore the concept of my opening remarks. I sincerely hope that if anything, at the close of the evening, you take with you the notion of appreciation and recognition of your hard work. More importantly, depart here either as a recipient or an audience member finding new inspirational elements encouraging you to achieve more for your community.
Our adjudication panel, comprising officials of other relevant stakeholders and spheres of government assessed the performance of the participating municipalities on a set criterion. This year the competition celebrated the theme “waste management by numbers”. In essence, the need to keep accurate records of waste related data should be an operational practice. This includes keeping record of the number of households receiving waste collection services or recording the volumes of waste being land filled. The theme also involves keeping track of the volumes of waste being diverted from landfills for recycling.
Dames en here, hierdie tema is relevant en toon hoe belangrik en noodsaaklik dit is om tasbare bewyse te gebruik om die vooruitgang van ‘n mens se ingrypings te meet. Swak rekordhouding is ‘n aanduiding van ‘n swak bestuurstelsel. Die vasgestelde teiken, naamlik om teen 2012 die persentasie afval wat na stortingsterreine geneem word, te halveer, is ambisieus en sal baie moeilik bereik word. Dit word tans beraam dat die mees progressiewe munisipaliteite afval van stortingsterreine herlei teen vlakke van tussen 14% en 17%. Laat ons begin om ons vooruitgang te meet deur te verseker dat die noodsaaklike basiese inligting beskikbaar is deur middel van beheerde afvalinligtingsbestuurstelsels.
Terwyl ek klem plaas op die noodsaaklikheid van verbeterde rekordhouding, is dit bemoedigend om te merk dat sekere munisipaliteite begin het om die uitdaging van afvalherleiding te aanvaar en hulle het dit in hul onderskeie strategieë en planne ingesluit.
Dit is egter bereken dat hierdie suksesvolle pogings slegs ‘n 14% herleiding vanaf stortingsterreine tot gevolg gehad het. Laat ons optrede deur basiese inligting gerig wees, en laat die vooruitgang wat reeds gemaak is, nuwe innoverende denke inspireer.
Our landfill space is a scare commodity and our efforts to reduce, reuse and recycle should be evident at all levels, and most prominent in our communities. This competition advocates that we jointly, as community and municipality, act responsibly and accept that the right to a clean and healthy environment requires cooperation and constant involvement of both parties.
Thinking innovatively, adapting our current disposal processes where possible, will determine how successful we will be in achieving the ambitious target.
It is interesting to note that garden waste makes up between 40-60% of the total municipal waste stream and has a relatively large volume–to-weight ratio. Best practice focuses on diverting this waste from the landfills, turning it into compost and selling it to the landscaping industry. It has been shown that landfill and transport costs are reduced while a new income stream is created through this approach.
Ten opsigte van ‘n verskillende perspektief en volgens die Groen Druppel-verslag wat deur die Departement van Watersake saamgestel is, is bevind dat slegs 69% van ons munisipaliteite in staat was om die vereiste inligting vir die assesseringsproses voor te lê. Dit is ook vermeld dat die meeste fasiliteite in die landelike gebiede en kleiner dorpe nie voldoende toegerus is met personeel wat oor die toepaslike vaardighede beskik nie. Dit het die afvalwaterbehandelingswerke se algehele Groen Druppel-prestasie negatief beïnvloed.
Die bevindinge wys daarop dat munisipaliteite eerder op die skoonmaak en voorsiening van drinkwater fokus as op die behandeling van afvalwater. Die kommer bestaan dat die veiligheid van drinkwater bedreig word indien afvalwaterbehandelingswerke nie suksesvol is nie. Ons is nou selfs meer bedreig omdat die sub-standaard afvalwater wat in ons rivierstelsels invloei, baie negatiewe gevolge vir die omgewing inhou.
We are not only faced with increases of water and energy costs, but the threat of climate change adds new dimensions to our socio-economic challenges and threatens the resilience of our communities. Effectively managing our resources is a step in the right direction, if coupled with consistent information management that measures progress. Whether keeping record of waste statistics or how we manage our wastewater treatment systems, information on these aspects and other related areas is vital. Progress results from doing it right the first time.
Dames en here, kollegas – munisipale amptenare wat op die voorpunt van dienslewering staan; daar is talle uitdagings wat ons as ‘n regering te bowe moet kom. Dit is ook ‘n feit dat terwyl daar diensleweringsprotesaksies dreig, ons vanaand geïnspireer kan word deur ons mense wat dit alles moontlik gemaak het, beamptes wat hul lewens toewy tot en hulle vereenselwig met die noodsaak om ander te dien.
Not only do I salute the participating municipalities but I want to encourage you to think innovatively and outside the box. You have all accepted the responsibility to live and define change through the act of doing.
Thank you.
