Minister Barbara Creecy’s remarks to the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) participants at Nelson Mandela Bay Metro, in the Eastern Cape
Today myself, the Deputy Mayor and members of the media have just completed a tour of some of the 41 illegal dump sites you have cleaned up over the past few months. Let me take this opportunity to say this City is beginning to look much better as a result of your hard work!
Illegal dumping poses a health hazard to communities and undermines community morale and good governance. From an environmental perspective, illegal dumping poses serious risks to livestock, wetlands, rivers, marine and coastal areas.
Here in Nelson Mandela Bay we have identified 512 sites that require cleaning, and we have been told that your daily work includes cleaning streets, clearing illegal dumping sites, cleaning coastal areas and the revitalization of parks.
We have also been told that to ensure sustainability of the programme, Cleaning and Greening initiative includes planting trees in the rehabilitated dumping sites. We are planting both indigenous trees, in line with the water scarcity of the country, and the fruit trees to contribute towards food security.
We want you to educate your fellow community members about the importance of these trees, look after them, water them and prevent others from damaging or cutting them down.
The impact of these cleaning and greening projects extends beyond the environmental benefits, it includes economic benefits and social benefits.
The greater clean-up programme across the Eastern Cape is creating a total of 8000 work opportunities. Municipalities we are implementing this programme includes Buffalo City Metro, Alfred Nzo, O.R. Tambo, Amathole, Chris Hani, Sarah Baartman and Joe Gqabi District Municipalities.
So this programme is assisting many to put bread on the table while at the same time ensuring our towns and cities in the Eastern Cape look better and promote tourism and job creation.
Let me conclude by once again thanking you – the participants in the Programme - for your hard work and encourage you to continue to improve your communities with the same diligence you have shown today!
I thank you.
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