Mosunkutu on Green Scorpions
9 July 2007
Chief Director: Thabo Ndlovu
Officials from the department present
Representatives of the media
Ladies and gentlemen
I wish to start by thanking members of the media for making time to attend
this media briefing. This media briefing presents an opportunity for the Green
Scorpions to outline not only today's actions against environmental culprits
but also their long-term programme and further clarify their objectives.
Today I wish to briefly reflect on the essence of the systematic programme
of action of the Gauteng Environmental Management Inspectors (EMIs). On the
10th July 2006, during the inauguration of the Gauteng EMIs, I linked the
establishment of this unit to the Gauteng Provincial Government's quest to
build safe, secure and sustainable communities. I also linked the work expected
from this unit to the constitutional rights given to the citizens of our
country, the right to an environment that is not harmful to their health and
wellbeing.
I further stated, during this inauguration function, that "The Gauteng Green
Scorpions are well motivated to conduct effective and efficient road-blocks to
deter environmental crimes and lead to the prosecution of suspects. They are
empowered to issue enforceable compliance notices and do routine inspections
against any suspicious environmental activities."
Since the launch of the Gauteng EMIs last year, the unit has notched up
significant strides towards ensuring that the constitutional rights of our
citizens are protected. Among these I can mention the following:
* Having investigated Aids Safe, a health waste treatment facility in
Ekurhuleni, which posed serious environmental and health risks to our
communities, The Green Scorpions caused the facility to shut-down. Operations
in this facility were contaminating our ground water and polluting the air in
addition to posing immediate health risks to people who would come into contact
with carelessly and illegally dumped health waste destined for this facility.
Of equal importance is that, to allow citizens to further actively participate
in social and economic processes that take place in their vicinity, the unit is
spearheading a process where communities of Ekurhuleni are availed an
opportunity to have a say on the future of Aids Safe.
* Standing toe-to-toe in a court case against a supercilious developer,
Aquarella Investment 83, Blue Moonlight Properties and Reyneke, Jacobus
Cornelius, a team of developers who had initiated an illegitimate construction
on the Silverton Ridge, the developers came second with Justice Ronnie Bosielo
commenting that he "shudders to imagine the amount of damage to the environment
and ecology that would be caused if all people who owned properties were to
develop them as they wished and against any objections raised by a competent
environmental authority�.our fledgling and nascent democracy with its promise
of a healthy environment to the people cannot afford such conduct."
* Also, you would perhaps recall, the Green Scorpions' recent successful
operation where they, working in collaboration with Post Office workers, seized
a post office parcel containing more than 13 extremely venomous snakes that
were illegally being smuggled into the country. These are noxious snakes for
which South Africa has no antidote to treat their poison.
I've mentioned a few cases involving smuggling, destruction of our ecosystem
and intentional and callous exposure of citizens to immediate health risks.
These cases, fortunately, did receive media coverage and we are grateful for
this. I do pray that the activities that the Green Scorpions will today embark
upon should also be given wide media coverage.
The programme that the Green Scorpions are embarking upon is also linked to
the topical issue of climate change. Our citizens, like humans across the
globe, are extremely vulnerable to environmental degradation. The current buzz
about climate change and its effects on rainfall, rapid and uncharacteristic
increases in temperatures and the ferocity of recent storms, to mention but a
few consequences of climate change, are all a result of environmental
mismanagement. Because of this mismanagement of the ecosystem, some regions in
the world, including our country, are now increasingly failing to produce
sufficient crops to feed people.
The service that wetlands provide, that of natural water purification and
retardation of storms are also under threat. Because of unsustainable
development, the air that we breathe is becoming more harmful to our health.
These are some of the services that we freely derive from the environment -
services that are now threatened. Yes, the actions of the Green Scorpions are
aimed at protecting these services against unscrupulous people and
organisations.
In conclusion, I wish to call on all our communities to join hands and
actively take part in protecting the environment. Those in business who imagine
that their anti-environment practices will continue with impunity must also be
warned. The recent court cases that I referred to will continue to be at the
back of our minds as we vigorously deliver on our constitutional mandate.
I thank you.
Issued by: Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Environment, Gauteng
Provincial Government
9 July 2007
