Programme Director, Councillor Mashele
Executive Mayor of Emakhazeni Local Municipality, Her worship Councillor Lindy
Mohlala
Councillors present
Municipal Manager for the Emakhazeni Local Municipality
Other municipal managers present
CEO for the Heritage, Greening Mpumalanga and Tourism Flagship, Dr Nthabiseng
Motete
Members of the media present
Distinguished guests
Ladies and gentlemen
Good morning!
We meet here this morning, just three days before the country celebrates the contribution made by the courageous women of South Africa and our province in particular. On Sunday, 09 August, as the province and the country, we will gather to pay homage to women in recognition for the priceless contribution they made towards struggle for liberation. As the province, we salute them for their dedication which continues even beyond our liberation. Women continue to be care givers in our families; they continue to be the moral fibre which binds our families and communities; they continue to be teachers and motivators teaching us why we need to preserve our environment for future generations.
It is that spirit of the 1956 women; bo-mama Albertina Sisulu, Sophie de Bruyn and many others, who were prepared to die for the liberation of their country of birth, that continues to give us hope that we are on the right track. I take a bow to salute them! “You strike a woman, you strike a rock! Wathint' abafazi, wathinth' imbokodo!”
Programme Director, indeed women continue to be in the forefront to ensure that projects are completed successfully. Our meeting here this morning, is a sign that they are prepared to continue to change the world by preserving our own surroundings for future generations. Borrowing from Mahatma Ghandi’s words, they continue to be the change they want to see in the world. I am therefore humbled and honoured to be part of this occasion, when we launch the Emakhazeni Environmental Management Framework.
The framework is a product of collective effort of the Emakhazeni Local
Municipality, provincial Department of Economic Development, Environment and Tourism and National Department of Water and Environmental Affairs. It covers the areas of Dullstroom, Belfast, Machadodorp and Waterval Boven. As an environmental decision making support tool, the framework will therefore assist us to make informed decisions before permitting any infrastructure development in our areas. It will guide us on how to manage our natural resources where we live.
Executive Mayor, the launch of this framework is a sign that all of us gathered here this morning, care about our national resources and environment. It is a sign that we are committed to fulfil our promise as the ruling party, that of ensuring sustainable resource management and usage. This happens at a time that our province is experiencing massive infrastructure development and numerous requests for environmental impacts assessments.
However even though development is good to grow our economy especially during this time of economic meltdown, we must ensure that we do not sacrifice our environment. We have a responsibility to consider the economic value of natural resources against transient profitable activities such as mining, which often have long term environmental impact. We should therefore emphasise that mining in sensitive environmental areas, cannot be supported, despite its profitability and ability to contribute towards re-kindling our economy.
The challenge facing all of us is to work together in order to achieve the desired state of environment for this municipality as set out in the framework. It is only when we stick to land use guidelines on the five management zones in the area, that we can claim a lasting victory for the province over the preservation of our environment. The framework we are launching today will thus:
* Ensure that development in the municipality is in line with the goals of integrated environmental management
* Ensure that the environmental impacts of new developments are meaningfully assessed, and that the EIA process informs decision-making
* Ensure good governance in environmental management, including openness and transparency, participation, accountability, effectiveness, coherence and consistency
* Minimise development with water-related impacts in water-stressed catchments
* Preserve areas of high potential for optimal agricultural utilisation.
Programme Director, since climate change remains a daunting challenge to all of us, I believe it is high time that we demystify it and do something to counteract its effect. This framework will therefore be a good foundation for further strategies to deal with climate change.
During this month dedicated to women, we must thus recognise their contribution in preserving our environment. In most cases, it is women who care about our surrounding and should be applauded accordingly. We must not forget that our gem in this province is the natural environment, which we must not only showcase to the country, but also to the world at large. It is not only its pristine and enchanting beauty that should be showcased, but also its best environmental practices a sign that we care for future generations.
As I close, may I take this opportunity to thank all stakeholders who share our dream of protecting our environment. It is only when we work together, that we can do more to preserve our environment for generations to come. As Madiba once said, “it is in our hands” to make South Africa a better place for all who live in it, once more, happy Women’s Day in advance, to women of this municipality.
I leave you with these inspiring words by American philanthropist, author and motivator, Mark Victor Hansen who once said and I quote: “Don’t wait until everything is just right. It will never be perfect. There will always be challenges, obstacles and less than perfect conditions. So what? Get started now. With each step you take, you will grow stronger and stronger, more and more skilled, more and more self-confident and more and more successful.”
Ngiyathokoza!
Issued by: Department of Economic Development, Environment and Tourism, Mpumalanga Provincial Government
6 August 2009
Source: Department of Economic Development, Environment and Tourism, Mpumalanga Provincial Government (http://www.mpumalanga.gov.za/dedp/index.asp)
