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Date : 01/06/2004
Source: Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism
Title: R Mabudafhasi: Environment Week celebrations


SPEECH BY DEPUTY MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS AND TOURISM, MS REJOICE MABUDAFHASI, AT THE ENVIRONMENT WEEK CELEBRATIONS, 1 June 2004

SUSTAINABLE LIVING, THE KEY TO A BETTER FUTURE

Programme Director
My colleague, MEC Khabisi Mosunkutu
Speaker, City of Johannesburg, Ms Nandi Mayathula-Khoza
Mr Luther Williams, Johannesburg City Parks
Councillors Present
Teachers and Learners
Ladies and Gentleman
Ndi Matsheloni, Dumelang, Abusheni, Sanibona, Molo, More, Greetings to you all.

It is indeed a privilege for me to have been invited to this event, which forms part of the national celebrations of the National Environment Week. I've been requested to share some thoughts with you on the topic, 'Sustainable Living, the Key to a Better Future'.

Sustainable development is not a fixed state of harmony, but rather a process of change. This change involves a change of mindset, a change of perceptions, behaviour and a change of actions.

It is a process of balancing the tradeoffs between social justice, economic viability and environmental sustainability in decision-making. It is based on the idea that we cannot have a healthy society or economy in a world with so much environmental degradation.

Central to sustainability is the recognition that ecological considerations are balanced with economic, political and social considerations.

Issues of sustainability transcend beyond the individual realm and would require concerted societal efforts. The general idea is that our actions should not jeopardize the ability of future generations to meet their needs. This concept is based on a philosophy of interdependence, of respect for life as well as non-living parts of nature, and of responsibility for future generations.

South Africa will be celebrating the decade of democracy. We have laid a very strong foundation for the many decades to come and we now look at the future with hope and dignity.

We also understand that one of the biggest challenges of the coming decades is to improve and better manage the long-term large-scale interactions between the environment and our development endeavours. We need to increase the prospects for ecologically sustainable improvements while at the same time enhancing well being of all our people. We also understand that pursuing policies that jeopardizes the welfare of future generations is unfair, selfish and unjust. My department has therefore promulgated numerous legislations to protect the environment and all its life forms.

The constitution, which is the supreme law of the country, enshrines the right of every citizen to an environment that is not harmful to his or her health and well being and to have the environment protected for the benefit of the present and future generations. This obligation has to be realised amidst other challenges of meeting their peoples' needs for housing, education, health, employment and basic services.

We need to commend agencies like Johannesburg City Parks for their contribution in realising this constitutional obligation.

Apart from your programmes of developing and maintaining the city's open spaces, you have made great strides in improving the accessibility of nature areas to the historically disadvantaged. I'm informed that in the last 4 months alone, more than 700 learners and 50 educators were actively involved in your nature-based conservation programmes. These efforts are in the heart of sustainability and contribute in securing the future of the environment and the generations to come.

To the learners that are here today I would like to say that we are all products of the decisions that we have taken in the past and your future will depend on the decisions that you make today. You must understand that if you take care of nature, nature will take care of you.

This beautiful and diverse country will be hosting the 2010 Soccer World Cup and thousand of foreign tourists will be visiting our shores.

My challenge, your challenge and our challenge is to ensure that this country remains attractive, green, clean and beautiful. This is our environment, our future and the future of the generations to come.

OUR ENVIRONMENT, OUR FUTURE

I thank you.

Issued by: Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism
1 June 2004
Source: Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (http://www.deat.gov.za)

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