and Environment, Khabisi Mosunkutu at the launch of Litter-Free Day
29 October 07
Programme director, Dr Makwarela
Members of the Mayoral Committee and Councillors present
Representative of Public Utility Transport Corporation, our partner in this
specific project
Senior officials and employees of government present
Representatives of various organisations present here
People of Marabastad
Invited guests
Ladies and gentlemen:
It is a pleasure and an honour to be here today and to participate in the
launch of this important campaign.
Confronted with the daunting challenges, government confronts challenges of
building a better life for all our people the significance of this litter-free
campaign may easily be lost. The reality, however, is that litter has
everything to do with our quest to develop healthy, productive and sustainable
communities. Studies have shown that there is a reciprocal relationship between
waste and poor human health, epidemic diseases and, in instance, with poor
social and economic infrastructure.
The carelessly discarded newspapers, plastics and other domestic rubbish
results not only in the development of reeking and poisonous pools that
negatively impact on our health, as an example. Social infrastructure also gets
clogged and laid to waste. Because of this anti-social behaviour we are at
times forced to tread carefully in our own backyards lest we wade through
sewer. Our children are daily exposed to the rubbish, including carcasses of
dead animals that we carelessly toss out. It may be a fact that rubbish removal
services by local municipality may not always operate at its optimal. We,
however, may not always be able to use this as an excuse to threaten our own
wellbeing.
It is also quite true that social and economic activities do produce waste
which is but a by-product of socio-economic activities that we all have a right
to engage in. Studies by the United Nations confirm that population density,
socio-economic development, or higher gross domestic product and the ever
changing household consumption patterns are amongst the key drivers of waste.
We have these drivers and more.
Gauteng is the smallest province in the country, constituting only 1,4
percent of the country's land surface. Second to KwaZulu-Natal, we are second
in terms of population density. We consume 28 percent of the nation's fuel
sources and the province is the most industrialised province in the country.
The other reality is that the volumes of waste that we currently generate
outstrip the environment's capacity to accommodate it.
This being the case, we cannot afford to simply exonerate ourselves. I must
also quickly scupper the idea that it is only the industry that contributes to
waste, pollution and environmental degradation. The plastic containers and bags
that litter our streets are not tossed into the streets by industrialist, but
by ourselves. In addition to presenting challenges to our social infrastructure
and to our immediate health, the waste and pollution that we generate place
additional enormous pressure on the ecosystem and unless we change the way we
think about waste, we shall continue fast-tracking environmental
degradation.
It is our generation that will be held liable for precipitating avoidable
ferocious storms and decreased rainfall patterns that are as a result of
avoidable environmental mismanagement. Increased demand for resources,
generation of pollution and waste, rapid urbanisation and unsustainable
resource use practices will further complicate the untenable situation.
Friends and colleagues, we obviously are here not to mourn the damage that
we continue to inflict on the environment, rather we are here to commit
ourselves to practically take steps to reduce waste and protect our
environment. In partnership with the private sector, our municipalities and
other community organisations, we need to ensure that this launch is sustained
beyond this launch.
I thank you.
Issued by: Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Environment, Gauteng
Provincial Government
29 October 2007
Source: Gauteng Provincial Government (http://www.gpg.gov.za)
