The Deputy Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs, Ms Rejoice Mabudafhasi will, on 8 April 2014, launch the War on Waste and War on Leaks projects in Butterworth, Mnquma Local Municipality, Eastern Cape.
The launch of these projects will be used to showcase the work that the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) is doing to preserve the environment and create job opportunities as well as what the Department of Water Affairs is doing to fight water loss through War on Leaks project.
DEA supports environmentally friendly infrastructure development in local government, and provides funds to help facilitate this development. This support is through projects such as War on Waste. The projects encourage municipalities to identify environmental projects that can enhance their service delivery and submit applications to be considered for funding.
During a project funding window, Mnquma Municipality, which is situated in the Eastern Cape, submitted a proposal for the War on Waste project and it was approved by the department for an amount of just over R23 million. The project is aimed at dealing with waste management in the municipality. It also aims to address the challenge of environmental degradation, whilst ensuring that it keeps job creation and skills development (through the use of Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises) at the heart of implementation.
Through the War on Leaks project, the Department of Water Affairs aims to fix water leaks in the households, government institutions such as hospitals, clinics, schools, education and awareness about water conservation, whilst creating working or SMME opportunities and skills development for young people. The Mnquma War on Leaks project has been allocated a budget of R2, 2 million and 33 local youth have being recruited to roll out this project.
Prior to the official launch, the Deputy Minister will fix leaking taps at Msobomvu Flats and Vulindlela Primary School at 10h00 in the morning.
Media are invited to attend the launch as follows:
Date: Tuesday, 08 April 2014
Venue: Msobomvu Stadium, Butterworth, Mnquma Local Municipality
Time: 11h00 – 14h00
To RSVP kindly contact:
Sithokozile Banele Mabena
Tel: 012 395 1607
E-mail: SMabena@environment.gov.za
Ngcume Thandile
Cell: 082 659 1422
E-mail: NgcumeT@dwa.gov.za
Kgomotso Penyenye
Tel: 012 395 1722
E-mail: KPenyenye@environment.gov.za
For media enquiries:
Mr Peter Mbelengwa
Spokesperson for the Deputy Minister
Cell: 082 611 8197
