Gauteng MEC for Agriculture, Conservation and Environment, K Mosunkutu on Green Scorpions

Chief Director: Thabo Ndlovu
Officials from the department present
Representatives of the media
Ladies and gentlemen

I wish to start by thanking members of the media for making time to attend this media briefing. This media briefing presents an opportunity for the Green Scorpions to outline not only today's actions against environmental culprits but also their long-term programme and further clarify their objectives.

Today I wish to briefly reflect on the essence of the systematic programme of action of the Gauteng Environmental Management Inspectors (EMIs). On the 10th July 2006, during the inauguration of the Gauteng EMIs, I linked the establishment of this unit to the Gauteng Provincial Government's quest to build safe, secure and sustainable communities. I also linked the work expected from this unit to the constitutional rights given to the citizens of our country, the right to an environment that is not harmful to their health and wellbeing.

I further stated, during this inauguration function, that "The Gauteng Green Scorpions are well motivated to conduct effective and efficient road-blocks to deter environmental crimes and lead to the prosecution of suspects. They are empowered to issue enforceable compliance notices and do routine inspections against any suspicious environmental activities."

Since the launch of the Gauteng EMIs last year, the unit has notched up significant strides towards ensuring that the constitutional rights of our citizens are protected. Among these I can mention the following:

* Having investigated Aids Safe, a health waste treatment facility in Ekurhuleni, which posed serious environmental and health risks to our communities, The Green Scorpions caused the facility to shut-down. Operations in this facility were contaminating our ground water and polluting the air in addition to posing immediate health risks to people who would come into contact with carelessly and illegally dumped health waste destined for this facility. Of equal importance is that, to allow citizens to further actively participate in social and economic processes that take place in their vicinity, the unit is spearheading a process where communities of Ekurhuleni are availed an opportunity to have a say on the future of Aids Safe.

* Standing toe-to-toe in a court case against a supercilious developer, Aquarella Investment 83, Blue Moonlight Properties and Reyneke, Jacobus Cornelius, a team of developers who had initiated an illegitimate construction on the Silverton Ridge, the developers came second with Justice Ronnie Bosielo commenting that he "shudders to imagine the amount of damage to the environment and ecology that would be caused if all people who owned properties were to develop them as they wished and against any objections raised by a competent environmental authority�.our fledgling and nascent democracy with its promise of a healthy environment to the people cannot afford such conduct."

* Also, you would perhaps recall, the Green Scorpions' recent successful operation where they, working in collaboration with Post Office workers, seized a post office parcel containing more than 13 extremely venomous snakes that were illegally being smuggled into the country. These are noxious snakes for which South Africa has no antidote to treat their poison.

I've mentioned a few cases involving smuggling, destruction of our ecosystem and intentional and callous exposure of citizens to immediate health risks. These cases, fortunately, did receive media coverage and we are grateful for this. I do pray that the activities that the Green Scorpions will today embark upon should also be given wide media coverage.

The programme that the Green Scorpions are embarking upon is also linked to the topical issue of climate change. Our citizens, like humans across the globe, are extremely vulnerable to environmental degradation. The current buzz about climate change and its effects on rainfall, rapid and uncharacteristic increases in temperatures and the ferocity of recent storms, to mention but a few consequences of climate change, are all a result of environmental mismanagement. Because of this mismanagement of the ecosystem, some regions in the world, including our country, are now increasingly failing to produce sufficient crops to feed people.

The service that wetlands provide, that of natural water purification and retardation of storms are also under threat. Because of unsustainable development, the air that we breathe is becoming more harmful to our health. These are some of the services that we freely derive from the environment - services that are now threatened. Yes, the actions of the Green Scorpions are aimed at protecting these services against unscrupulous people and organisations.

In conclusion, I wish to call on all our communities to join hands and actively take part in protecting the environment. Those in business who imagine that their anti-environment practices will continue with impunity must also be warned. The recent court cases that I referred to will continue to be at the back of our minds as we vigorously deliver on our constitutional mandate.

I thank you.