The Deputy Minister of Environmental Affairs, Ms. Barbara Thomson will launch the annual National Marine Week (NMW) awareness campaign, on 09 October 2018, in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal.
National Marine Week is observed annually during the second week of October. This is intended to highlight the importance of oceans and the role they play in the life of all South Africans. The main objective of the NMW is to create awareness about marine pollution, particularly plastics and micro-plastics, in the ocean and coastal ecosystems.
A number of global programmes, that South Africa is a signatory to, have recognised land-based litter as one of the key sources of pollution in the ocean and coastal environment, and seek to find collective means and ways to engage the governments, general public, civil society and the private sector to find solutions to address the plastic litter challenges and problems in the marine environment.
In response to the above commitments and marine litter problem in South Africa, a source to sea initiative, aimed at preventing waste from land-based sources into the marine environment, will also be launched at the NMW at the event, where a litter boom/trap will be unveiled.
The DEA encourages all stakeholders in the public and private sectors to engage in relevant activities, and spread the #NMW2018 message under the theme, “Nature knows no Waste”.
Media is invited to cover the launch as follows:
Unveiling of Litter Boom
Date: 9 October 2018
Time: 9h00
Venue: Transnet Freight Rail, Eel Road, Bayhead, Durban
National Marine Week Formal event
Date: 9 October 2018
Time: 11h00
Venue: Blue Lagoon, North Beach Durban
To RSVP contact:
Tshego Letshwiti
Tel: 021 814 8065
E-mail: tletshwiti@environment.gov.za
Siziphiwe Maxengana
Tel: 021 814 8064
E-mail: smaxengana@environment.gov.za
For all media enquiries contact:
Zolile Nqayi
Cell: 082 898 6483
E-mail: znqayi@environment.gov.za
