active mass participation against negative climatic changes and environmental
degradation-Government goes to the grass-root
3 May 2007
The Gauteng MEC for Agriculture, Conservation and Environment will address a
public meeting on climatic changes, environmental degradation and the
Provincial Government's environmental project. Subsequent to the launch of the
2007 Bontle ke Botho (BKB) Clean and Green Campaign, MEC Khabisi Mosunkutu is
now embarking on a programme of further mobilising communities and
environmentalist to redouble their active participation in the project. The
Bontle ke Botho Clean and Green campaign not only contributes to the negation
of adverse climatic changes that have assumed centre stage in environmental
discussions across the world. In addition to raising awareness of environmental
issues, the campaign also contributes to poverty alleviation and job
creation.
The BKB campaign takes the form of a competition, has categories for
schools, wards, metropolitan and local municipalities. The School category
rewards the best performing school in any theme of choice. It is open to all
schools in Gauteng, with the focus on the involvement of educators, learners,
parents, school governing bodies, environmental groups and non-governmental
organisations (NGOs), all working together to improve the quality of the
environment. The Ward category involves all wards in all municipalities of the
province.
They compete amongst each other for prizes for the best in environmental
initiatives, environmental management, environmental awareness and the
involvement of all relevant stakeholders in projects aimed at improving
environment situations within the wards. The Metropolitan and Local
municipality category involves municipalities competing against each other for
recognition for the best performance in environmental management practices.
Schools and wards are required to develop environmental management plans
through which they will be judged upon. An Environmental Management Plan is a
detailed plan of environmental activities and budget. The campaign has prizes
totalling R3,7 million which is divided according to three categories. Since
the inception of the campaign, a total of R16 million has been won by schools,
wards, metropolitan and local municipalities. A key requirement regarding the
prize money is that the money won from BKB campaign should be used to improve
existing projects or create new ones.
Poverty alleviation projects initiated from the proceeds of the campaign
include the Mofolo hydroponics project, which farms vegetables that are sold to
the local community. Job creation projects arising from the campaign include
the Vusisizwe Garden Service project, located in Ekurhuleni.
The Vusisizwe Garden project has extended its activities to include waste
management, with eight mini depots established as collection points within
their Municipal ward. Different waste materials (papers, plastics, bottles and
cans) are recovered for recycling purposes. The project has also received
infrastructure sponsorship of R40 000.00 from Consol. They have also managed to
acquire a juice-making machine from which they make juice that is sold to their
community. The public meeting will take place as follows:
Date: Wednesday, 3 May 2007
Time: 10h00
Venue: Sam Ntuli Sports Centre (opposite Thokoza Stadium), Corner Matsimela and
Khumalo Street, Thokoza, Ekurhuleni)
Issued by: Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Environment, Gauteng
Provincial Government
3 May 2007
Source: Gauteng Provincial Government (http://www.gdace.gpg.gov.za)
