Environmental Affairs and Tourism at the Waste Management conference
22 March 2007
Programme Director
Ministers and Deputy Ministers
Members of Executive Councils
Members of the Portfolio Committee and Select Committee
Mayors and councillors
Distinguished delegates and participants
Allow me to thank Executive Mayor Duma Nkosi for his words of welcome. I am
sure we will all enjoy our stay in Ekurhuleni. We meet here today just a day
after we celebrated Human Rights Day. It is therefore befitting that I reflect
on measures that we have taken to give effect to Section 24 of the Constitution
which guarantees the right of all South Africans to an environment that is not
harmful to their health and wellbeing.
Globally, our environment experiences unprecedented stress and millions of
people struggle in poverty while relentless degradation of ecosystems
continues. It is always said that we need to think globally and act locally.
The 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development was convened to map-out a
detailed plan of implementation at all levels including community
initiatives.
We have a profound responsibility to enhance our plan of implementation to
eradicate poverty and change unsustainable patterns of production and
consumption. It is always important to address the three pillars of sustainable
development, which are economic, social and environment in order to achieve our
environmental goals.
Having recognised the devastating effects of poor waste management practices
of the past on the majority of South Africans, especially the poor, we set out
to reform the policy and regulatory framework governing waste management in
South Africa. South Africa had to join the rest of the international community
by becoming a signatory to conventions on waste management such as the Basel
Convention on Transboundary Movement of Hazardous Waste and others.
The policy and law reform process which we have embarked on has certainly
improved our compliance with the provisions of these conventions and
strengthens our position to influence waste management decisions at an
international level. At a national level, this reform process led to the
development of the policy on integrated pollution and waste management in 2000.
The policy emphasises the importance of preventing pollution and waste, and
avoiding environmental degradation, as opposed to the focus on end-of-pipe
treatment of previous policies." It espouses government's vision to develop,
implement and maintain an integrated pollution and waste management system that
contributes to sustainable development and a measurable improvement in the
quality of life of all South Africans.
Central to the achievement of this vision was the development of new
pollution and waste legislation that would, amongst other things, address
current legislative gaps, and clarify and allocate responsibilities within
government and other stakeholders for pollution and waste management.
The department has over the past few years been engaged in a law reform
process that has led to, among other things, the development of the National
Environmental Management: Waste Management Bill. For us, the Waste Management
Bill represents an important instrument in our efforts to secure ecologically
sustainable development while promoting sound economic and social
development.
We recognise that, due to its crosscutting nature, pollution and waste
management is neither the exclusive preserve of the Department of Environmental
Affairs and Tourism, nor of government. The private sector and civil society
have important roles to play in promoting integrated pollution and waste
management.
The fostering of partnerships across all spheres of government, and between
governments, the private sector and civil society is necessary for sustainable
and effective pollution and waste management to take place. It is in this
spirit of co-operative governance and partnership building that we are gathered
here today to deliberate on the draft legislation.
Notwithstanding these developments at a policy and legislative level, we are
acutely aware of the many challenges that we still face in our efforts to
secure an environment that is not harmful to the health and wellbeing of our
people. The provision of a basic waste removal service to all sectors of our
society remains a challenge, particularly in rural areas and urban informal
settlements.
Recent studies indicate that, much as there have been some commendable
improvements in the provision of basic waste services in recent years, some 40%
of all households in the country remain without access to a basic level of
waste removal services.
Moreover, we, as a nation, are generating increasing volumes of waste each
year. Much of the responsibility of dealing with this escalating waste problem
is borne by local government. Evidently, we need to do much more as a
collective. Primarily, we need to encourage behavioural change and promote the
reducing, re-using and recycling our waste through community-based approaches
for awareness-raising and capacity-building.
I am aware that there are a number of community-based initiatives that are
attempting to provide a basic infrastructure to facilitate recycling. We need
to support these initiatives and enable them to grow from being survivalist
schemes to being sustainable enterprises.
In 2002, when we hosted the World summit on Sustainable Development, we
successfully demonstrated, albeit on a small scale, the potential contribution
of waste separation and recycling to sustainable development. "The 2010 FIFA
World Cup presents an even bigger opportunity for us to promote sustainable
development and establish a lasting legacy through the Greening 2010
initiative.
I would like to use this opportunity to encourage our hosting and support
cities, as you move forward into what will be an intensive phase of
infrastructural planning and development, to place sustainable development and
waste management in particular, high on your agenda.
We cannot allow ourselves and the nation to drown in waste while we can use
it to create employment and eradicate poverty. We have a responsibility to free
all humanity and generations to come from the threat of living on a planet
irredeemably spoilt by human activities with scarce resources that will no
longer sustain us.
This conference presents a rare opportunity for all of us across the public
and private sector to discuss the challenges that face the waste sector and,
through the Waste Management Bill, to begin to chart a new path for waste
management in South Africa. I trust that you will all make the best use of this
opportunity. Remember we cannot buy another planet; our lives and those of
future generations will depend on this planet.
I thank you.
Issued by: Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism
22 March 2007
Source: Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (http://www.deat.gov.za)
