Date: 22/03/2007

Source: Gauteng Provincial Government

Title: Mosunkutu: National Waste Management Conference

Introductory Remarks of Khabisi Mosunkutu, Gauteng MEC for Agriculture, Conservation and Environment, at the First Session of the National Waste Conference

Programme director, Ms Pam Yako
Director-General of the Department Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT)
Executive Mayor of the host Metropolitan Council, Councillor Duma Nkosi
Deputy Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, Mme Joyce Mabudafhasi
Deputy Minister of Provincial and Local Government, Ms Nomatyala Hangana
Members of Executive Councils (MECs) and mayors from other provinces
Members of Mayoral Committees and councillors present
Heads of government departments and Directors-General and Deputy Directors-General present
Guests from beyond the borders of South Africa
Government officials present
Representatives of the business community
Non-Governmental Organisations and Community Based Organisations
Invited guests
Ladies and gentlemen

It is a pleasure and honour to have been given this opportunity to chair this first session of this auspicious conference and to make a few remarks. The theme for today's conference is, "Waste management for a cleaner South Africa - A Local Government Perspective."

Conventional wisdom correctly informs us that population growth rates, socio-economic development, the Gross Domestic Product specifically, increasing production and utilisation both hazardous and non-hazardous elements are amongst key drivers of waste. South Africa is a developmental state that has its fair share of these waste drivers, including an economy that continues to notch higher growth levels. This being the case, I do believe that the country as a whole will also enormously benefit from this meeting, especially as it should help enrich and consolidate the country's Waste Bill.

I do believe that the presence and active participation of local municipalities, in this meeting, shall also further enhance the quality of our deliberations and possibly the rate at which we should be able to deal with the issue of effective waste management. A pilot project initiated by the United Nations, on Waste Management in Africa, has shown that municipalities are critical for effective waste management strategies. The pilot project, covering municipalities in Ndola, Zambia, Malindi in Kenya and Accra in Nigeria showed that municipalities are indeed indispensable in the quest for effective waste management. This derives from the reality that waste is generated in industries and homes located within municipalities. The project also dialectically linked effective waste management with projects that meet other pressing social needs, including fighting poverty and job creation through, amongst others, waste recycling projects.

Municipalities participating in this project focused on, amongst others, rehabilitations of existing dump sites, provision of waste management equipment and vehicles, review of regulatory frameworks and capacity building amongst communities and local authorities. Pilot projects to showcase environmentally sound waste management practices were also set up in the participating municipalities.

The project not only showed dramatic improvement in the quality of intra-governance between municipalities and communities, it also increased community awareness and participation. The youth of these municipalities also benefited from waste collection services that were initiated. I do hope that the presence of this third tier of Government will indeed benefit us all in our collective quest to restore the ecological integrity of the cities, protect biodiversity and work with communities to keep these areas clean so that they can become places of leisure, improving the quality of life for all our people.

With these few words, allow me Programme Director to invite the metaphorical thousands of flowers to bloom and the figurative thousand schools of thoughts to contend.

During this session we will be welcomed by Mr Duma Nkosi, the Executive Mayor of the host city and listen to the Deputy Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, Ms Rejoice Mabudafhasi, who will do the opening address, as well as to the Deputy minister of Provincial and Local Government, Ms Nomatyala Hangana who will address us on Accelerated Service delivery at Local Government.

I thank you.

Issued by: Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Environment, Gauteng Provincial Government
23 March 2007