Minister Willie Aucamp at ASEZ WAO Mother’s Forest Tree Planting Event – Khayelitsha, Cape Town
ASEZ WAO Director – Mr Ezra Baek
Hospital Representative
Ward Councillor
Young Adult Workers
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen
Trees are the very essence of life. They are the very air we breathe. They provide shade for special family moments. It is within that vein that I greet you this morning as we take it back to basics with the Mother’s Forest Tree Planting.
Having taken note of “Save the Earth from A to Z We are Only Family’s” main activities and priorities, one of the key elements of a sustainable programme is its ability to continue in a viable form for future generations. A programme will only be sustainable if it has significant participation by all of society, with a strong focus on young people and children.
The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment’s (DFFE) legal mandate and core business are to manage, protect and conserve South Africa’s environment and natural resources. In line with this mandate, tree planting forms the basis for the departmental greening programme, which is one of the mitigating activities recommended for the slowing down of the environmental threat of climate change. Trees not only play a significant role in mitigating against global warming but also reduce flooding and act as windbreaks during severe storms, especially in rural areas and farmlands.
Projects such as the “Mother’s Forest Tree Planting” are, in our view, an extension of the DFFE’s own Ten Million Trees Programme, which was established as a directive by the President of the Republic of South Africa, His Excellency, Mr Ramaphosa. This Programme promotes the planting of both indigenous and fruit trees to support environmental health and food security. I wish to indicate that last year, the department led an initiative of planting one (1) million trees in a single day to speed up the number of trees planted and I am proud to announce that as a country we managed to surpass the target by planting 1 005 430 in collaboration with stakeholders on 24 September 2025. The achievement was a positive response from a clarion call for everyone to participate and demonstrated that a lot can be achieved by working together as a collective. With your support, in the new financial year we want to do even more for creation of sustainable settlements and to mitigate against the harmful effects of climate change.
The successful implementation of the One Million Trees initiative should not be seen as an end, it should be seen as the beginning. This is because the greening programme is taking place at a critical juncture when the environment of our country and indeed the entire Continent is counting the cost of climate change and considering the measures that are urgently needed for a swift recovery. We can only rely on everyone, especially young adults, to take this to another level. As I said earlier the youth are our future leaders of tomorrow and they need to influence initiatives like these to shape our country. Our collaboration will ensure access to schools participating in programmes for the purpose of tree-planting activities and coordination with school management to secure permissions and suitable planting sites. This is why we call upon and welcome organisations like ASEZ WAO to partner and collaborate with us to achieve these goals of planting trees for the benefit of the environment.
It would, however, be inappropriate for me to only focus on the achievements without mentioning the challenges. As we mark this celebration today, South Africa is in the grip of disaster brought by climate change. I recently visited the flood-stricken Kruger National Park, and as a Department we have taken serious note of the devastation caused to our cherished national asset. The inclement weather has not only affected the Kruger National Park but has been devastating in the wider Mpumalanga and Limpopo Provinces where we have sadly witnessed loss of valuable lifes, homes and livelihoods.
The rampant fires that have recently ravaged key natural assets and resulted in the destruction of fynbos, and also led to loss of property for our communities in the Western Cape Province. This is just a signal that it is the responsibility of everyone to work together, for environmental conservation and development for the sake of our country.
We are however, gathered today to remind one another that, despite our challenges, we can band together to build on our successes. The focus should now be on implementing the next phase of the global Mother’s Forest Campaign, which is dedicated to restoring green spaces and nurturing environmental stewardship for future generations.
Our involvement would not only elevate this important youth and environmental milestone but also reinforce the message that the green economy and youth innovation are central pillars of South Africa’s sustainable future. The commitment should be done with a purpose of contributing towards the mitigation of climate change addressing household food security and beautification of our country.
I would like to take his opportunity to thank ASEZ WAO as the organisers of this event. We really need to save the earth from the beginning to the end as one family. I also align myself with the slogan and believe that we will change humanity and the earth with the mother’s love.
Thank You
Enquiries:
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