North West
1 March 2007
Mafikeng: The national Deputy Minister for Environmental Affairs and
Tourism, Ms Rejoice Mabudafhasi will be visiting the Bophirima and Bojanala
districts in the North West province next week, on Sunday, 5 and Monday, 6
March 2007, respectively.
The Deputy Minister's visit is part of her environmental road shows to
different provinces during which she interacts with communities on issues
relating to the environment. In the Bophirima district, the Deputy Minister who
will be accompanied by the provincial MEC for Agriculture, Conservation and
Environment, Mr Mandlenkosi Mayisela, will meet with the community of Pomfret
in the Molopo Local Municipality.
Pomfret, a former military base, situated more than 150 kilometres north of
Vryburg, is home to about 3 000 former South African Defence Force (SADF)
members and their families. The area has in the past been in the national
media, over the government's intention to relocate the people living in this
derelict asbestos mine area, to various municipalities in the province because
of the lurking asbestos threat. The Deputy Minister and her entourage will on
Monday, 5 March, visit about four asbestos victim households, after which she
will meet the entire Pomfret community.
"Un-rehabilitated asbestos mines continue to pose a serious health threat to
our communities and we believe that a lot needs to be done to ensure a safe
asbestos pollution-free environment. The Deputy Minister's intention is to get
firsthand information on what the situation in Pomfret is like and the urgent
intervention measures need to be considered by government," explained MEC
Mayisela.
On the second day, Tuesday, 6 March 2007, the Deputy Minister's entourage
will be in Molatedi, the village that falls under the administration of Moses
Kotane Local municipality in the Bojanala District. The main focus will be on
environmental management and sustainable livelihoods matters related to
communities adjacent to parks. Concerns have been raised by the department that
industries around the Madikwe Game Reserve dump their waste in communal land
without permission.
The provincial department has however established that 80% of the waste
generated by these industries is recyclable and therefore a transfer station
has been mooted in the area of Molatedi. "There is a need to find practical and
sustainable solutions of addressing the problem of illegal dumping in areas
like these and we hope the Deputy Minister's influence will lead us," MEC
Mayisela said.
After meeting the communities and the surrounding areas, the Deputy Minister
will meet with mining industry leadership at the Anglo Platinum Mine where a
presentation on their environmental management strategies will be tabled.
The Deputy Minister's itinerary and meetings are open to media.
Enquiries:
Ms Lesego Mncwango
Tel: (018) 389 5768
Cell: 082 220 6367
E-mail: Lmncwango@nwpg.gov.za
Issued by: Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Environment, North
West Provincial Government
1 March 2007
