Rejoice Mabudafhasi, the Deputy Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs, today, 23 May 2011, led the International Day for Biological Diversity (IDB) celebrations in the Gert Sibande District Municipality, Mpumalanga.
The Oshoek Wattle Clearing project, a Working for Water project was showcased as part of the celebrations.
22 May was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly as IDB in 1992 and has since been earmarked to celebrate the biodiversity that we are dependent on for our livelihoods. The theme for IDB 2011 is “Forest Biodiversity,” with the pertinent slogan, “Earth’s Living Treasure.” 2011 is moreover designated as the International Year of Forests.
Today's celebration focused on the Oshoek Wattle Clearing project run by Working for Water. Working for Water is funded by the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP), and employs a significant number of people, while giving them the skills needed to enter the economic sector. They place a specific focus on employing marginalised groups such as women, youth, the disabled, and those living with HIV and AIDS.
Speaking at the celebration Deputy Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs, Rejoice Mabudafhasi said; "The Working for Water programme alone has contributed some 1, 87 million person days of employment and training (around 8,150 full-time equivalents) for the 2008/09 financial year, and assisted in ensuring that the sector and the EPWP as a whole has exceeded the employment targets of the current cycle. Since it started, the Working for Water programme has ensured that over R1 billion has reached the pockets of poorest of the poor in terms of direct salaries."
The Oshoek Wattle Clearing project in the area has created employment for local communities and this contributes to the overall government objective of creating jobs and eradicating poverty.
Mabudafhasi said: "The project has five contractors with 60 beneficiaries recruited from surrounding rural communities, and is clearing an estimated 200 ha of wattle within the communal land. This area will now be used for community subsistence crop farming supported by the provincial Department of Agriculture, and in this way will contribute to food security in this area."
She adds, "Although it is every person’s responsibility to ensure that aliens do not inadvertently become invasive through thoughtless actions, government needs to lead the way, and set policies that will lay the foundation of conservation for the future."
Mabudafhasi also launched the International Decade for Biodiversity. During the recent Convention on Biological Diversity’s Conference of the Parties in Nagoya, the importance of biodiversity in contributing to poverty alleviation and job creation was emphasised. The United Nations launched the Decade for Biodiversity in Tokyo on Sunday, 22 May 2011. South Africa launched the decade for biodiversity today.
"This project of Working for Water that we have visited today is evidence of what can be achieved. It is therefore with confidence that we launch the International Decade for Biodiversity here in South Africa, knowing that we can achieve the goals set by the international community, if we reach the goals that we set for ourselves," she concluded.
Enquiries:
Lucky Sindane
Cell: 072 188 9216
E-mail: LSindane@environment.gov.za
Deputy Minister Mabudafhasi leads International Day for Biological Diversity celebrations in Mpumalanga, Nelspruit
