The Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs, Ms Buyelwa Sonjica will announce the winners of the Cleanest Town Competition for the financial year 2008/09 at a gala ceremony in Pretoria on Tuesday, 4 August 2009.
The Cleanest Town Competition (CTC) was officially launched in September 2001 by the then Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, Valli Moosa. The competition has two categories of municipalities* namely metropolitan and local municipalities. The winning municipalities from both categories will each receive an amount of R1 million rand. The prize money should be channelled on waste management initiatives.
CTC is also intended to change attitudes by raising awareness and educating communities on good waste management practices as well as to acknowledge ongoing improvements in waste management initiatives undertaken by local and metropolitan municipalities. The Department of Environmental Affairs recently promulgated the National Environmental Management: Waste Act 59 of 2009 which requires municipalities to play a key role in the effective management of waste.
Addressing the local government indaba on environment recently in Gauteng, Minister Buyelwa Sonjica said compliance with the requirements of the Act will contribute to job creation with emphasis on waste collection initiatives involving Small, Medium and Micro-Enterprises (SMMEs) and recycling businesses.
Media is invited to the event.
The details of the event are as follows:
Date: Tuesday, 4 August 2009
Time: 18h00
Venue: Velmore Hotel and Conference Estate, 27 Main Road, Mooiplaas, Erasmia, Pretoria West
RSVP:
Lizzy Suping
Tel: 012 310 3310
Cell: 083 758 0553
Note: The Ministry of Water and Environmental Affairs comprises two separate departments. The departments are: the Department of Environmental Affairs and the Department of Water Affairs.
Issued by: Department of Environmental Affairs
31 July 2009
