Issued by: Department of Water Affairs and Forestry
MINISTER KADER ASMAL LAUNCHES WATERSHED WASTE MANAGEMENT STRATEGY 27 MAY 1996
"South Africa recently adopted a new Constitution which gives everyone the right to a healthy environment protected from pollution and ecological degradation. A new waste management strategy will be an integral part of ensuring these rights", said Prof. Kader Asmal, Minister of Water Affairs and Forestry.
He was addressing the first consultative planning meeting to develop a national waste management strategy. The meeting, held in Gauteng on 14 May 1996, was attended by representatives from provincial and local government, as well as from the Departments of Water Affairs and Forestry and of Environmental Affairs and Tourism.
Minister Kader Asmal of the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry and Deputy Minister Bantu Holomisa of the Department of Environment Affairs and Tourism, whose Department is running the Integrated Pollution Control (IPC) project, have agreed to work together on the national waste strategy.
The two Departments, together with other national and provincial departments, are launching a single, national consultation process in the interests of avoiding duplication and making the best use of the valuable time of stakeholders.
"As a signatory to the Basel Convention on the transboundary movement of hazardous waste, South Africa has in principle committed itself to developing a national waste management strategy, but it is still a long way from achieving this", Minister Asmal remarked.
"The participatory process of the Constitution has set the benchmark for South Africa", said Minister Asmal, assuring his audience that the development of an integrated waste management strategy will take place with the highest level of participation.
ENQUIRIES: MR LEON BREDENHANN, DEPUTY DIRECTOR: WASTE MANAGEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF WATER AFFAIRS AND FORESTRY, TELEPHONE: (012) 299-2908, FACSIMILE: (012) 323-0321