20 June 2007 - Media Statement
- Department of Environmental Affairs and
Tourism
WEDNESDAY, 20 JUNE 2007: “Desertification
is a significant problem for South Africa,
threatening not only our ecological integrity,
but the well being of our people. It impacts
most severely on the poorest of the poor”.
The Deputy Minister of Environmental Affairs
and Tourism, Ms Rejoice Mabudafhasi opened
the event with these enduring words during
the occasion to celebrate the World Day
to Combat Desertification in the Machubeni
Village of the Eastern Cape, today, Wednesday,
20 June 2007. This year’s celebration will
take place under the UN Convention to Combat
Desertification (UNCCD) theme of “Desertification
& Climate Change - One Global Challenge”.
Speaking in attendance of the Eastern Cape
Provincial government, NGOs, the private
sector and communities at the event, the
Deputy Minister said that agricultural production,
energy and water supply as well as human
beings health would be subjected to greater
risk if counter programmes weren’t introduced
to combat the scourge of climate change
and thus desertification.
“Environmentally insensitive practices
by commercial sector and communities’ underdevelopment
coupled with natural disasters have already
done a severe blow and damage to our environment,
the challenge of Climate Change further
exacerbates the situation”, she said.
She added that the celebration will encompass
showcasing the department’s initiatives
contributing to combating desertification
and drought. “Needless to say, droughts
affect economic production in many spheres
of life and force the country to import
basic food needs and price and inflation
increase’ said the Deputy Minister.
The department has already introduced eight
(8) pilot projects funded to the tune of
R40 million to rehabilitate the land and
fight land degradation under the Community
Based Natural Resources Management (CBNRM)
program. Some of these projects are the
Madibaneng in Sekhukhune district in Limpopo
Province, Mkhuze Catchment in Kwa-Zulu Natal
Province and Machubeni Catchment Management
in Eastern Cape Province and others throughout
the country. The latter has produced 10
SMME graduates who will carry on with activities
to combat desertification and drought.
She also said that successful implementation
of CBNRM requires all South Africans’ participation.
“To this end, the department will also use
the day’s activities to raise awareness
and appeal to the public to observe protection
of the environment and utilizing natural
resources in a sustainable manner for our
livelihood and those of the future generations”
she added.
The department and Development Bank of
Southern Africa (DBSA) are finalizing an
agreement to rehabilitate dry lands with
the aim of alleviating poverty and intensifying
efforts contributing to the realization
of Millennium Development Goals to halve
poverty by 2014. The department has already
initiated the Machubeni Catchment Management
project to combat land degradation aimed
at restoring land to its productive conditions,
improve the quality of water, which lead
to good health. Similar initiatives have
been introduced all over the country.
“Two weeks ago, the G8 meeting discussed
the challenge of Climate Change and its
disastrous implications to socio-economic
development globally. It is encouraging
to observe the heavily industrialized US
and the east European countries acknowledging
the bad effects of Climate Change and agreeing
to take action. The world will now act collectively
to fight and reverse activities which give
rise to Climate Change through programmes
and improved technology. South Africa is
already doing her part by introducing environmentally
friendly legislation,” she said.
Mr Mava Scott (Departmental Spokesperson)
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Deputy Minister Speech for the Celebration
of the World to Combat Desertification at
Machubeni, Eastern Cape on 20 June 2007
20 June 2007 - Speech
Department of Environmental Affairs and
Tourism
PROGRAM DIRECTOR
HONOURABLE MEC FOR ECONOMIC AFFAIRS, ENVIRONMENT
AND TOURISM, MR M. SOGONI
HONOURABLE EXECUTIVE MAYOR OF CHRIS HANI
DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY: CLLR M. SIGABI
HONOURABLE MAYOR OF EMALAHLENI LOCAL MUNICIPALITY:
CLLR N. LALI
OFFICIALS FROM VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS
MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY
SCHOOL LEARNERS
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
Allow me to start by reminding you that
it was Fathers’ Day this past Sunday. Lucky
fathers received gifts for being pillars
of strength to their families. Renewal of
love in any family is a good omen. It sustains
relationships for many years to come.
Now the question begging to be asked is:
Do we have a special relationship with our
environment? We derive many benefits from
the environment everyday. This ranges from
what we eat, dress, means of our transport
and the origin of anything you can imagine
can be traced back to the environment as
a source. Our moral obligation is to take
care of the environment – a simple Thank
You gesture which all of us can do.
It was not by mistake that the United Nations
declared this day as the World Day to Combat
Desertification. This decision was made
in order to raise awareness on the negative
impacts that desertification and land degradation
have on human beings and the environment.
Ladies and Gentlemen, as we celebrate the
World Day to Combat Desertification we should
ask ourselves a question as big commercial
companies, individuals, communities and
government to check if we are doing enough
to protect the environment. This year’s
theme is “Desertification and Climate Change
- One Global Challenge”. How are we contributing
to reverse the effects of desertification
and global warming?
Ladies and gentlemen desertification and
climate change are the world‘s most alarming
causes of environmental degradation. Desertification
and climate change are interlinked in multiple
ways. They represent two faces of the global
environmental challenge of the 21st century.
Climate change has an influence on desertification
through its impact on dryland soil and vegetation,
on the hydrological cycle in drylands, and
ultimately on human land use in that 40%
of the land area of the globe classified
as dryland. A synergistic approach is therefore
the most effective way to tackle them.
Desertification is a significant problem
for South Africa, threatening not only our
ecologically integrity, but the wellbeing
of our people. It impacts most severely
on the poorest of the poor. Current climate
change trends threaten to exacerbate those
social and environmental problems, while
desertification plays a significant role
in increasing greenhouse gas emissions and
reducing carbon sinks. Many common solutions,
rooted in sound sustainable development
practices, are needed to adapt to climate
change and address desertification.
Our climate is changing and the signs are
evident. Let’s accept the responsibility
and take action today to make a different
tomorrow. In our everyday life we can help
by making changes, small or big to help
protect our health, safety and our environment.
Are big companies reducing hazardous greenhouse
emissions which pollute the atmosphere?
Are they rehabilitating the land they generate
huge profits from? As communities, how responsible
are we with the waste we generate? Is it
dumped at the designated areas? Do we plant
trees to replace those we chop down for
wood? Are we following correct farming methods
to combat soil erosion? Are attitudes changing
to those destroying the environment through
veld fires, usually from cigarettes butts?
Desertification results in acute shortages
of food and drinking water which mainly
affect women and children living in rural
areas as they largely depend on the environment
for their livelihoods. The United Nations
Convention to Combat Desertification and
Land Degradation (UNCCD) is mobilizing governments
of the world and multi-national institutions
to combine efforts to fight desertification
and land degradation.
Our country has introduced several pieces
of legislation such as the Biodiversity
Act which promote the conservation of biodiversity.
Our goal to conserve biodiversity and use
it sustainably to meet our needs and those
of the future generations will not be successful
if we do not double our efforts to fight
desertification and land degradation.
Through our department, the government
has also initiated projects to care for
and protect the environment. One such program
is Community Based Natural Resources Management
(CBNRM). CBNRM has already given birth to
Machubeni Catchments Management project
which we are here to showcase in order to
public raise awareness on the importance
of land rehabilitation. Other similar projects
exist in Madibaneng, in Sekhukhune (Limpopo
Province) and Mkhuzi in KwaZulu Natal Province.
These projects have been funded to the tune
of R40 million and we will be rolling out
further projects throughout the country.
Partnerships with the private are also
crucial for us to win the battle against
desertification and land degradation. To
this effect, we are finalising an agreement
with Development Bank of Southern Africa
that would result in increased funding for
CBNRM projects.
I would like to urge other institutions
within the private sector to emulate DBSA
and respond to our call for action to intensify
our campaign to reverse the negative effects
of desertification and land degradation.
Harvesting of natural resources for livelihoods
should be done sustainably. All stakeholders
should be capacitated to implement projects
that embrace the principles of sustainable
development. Let us also remember that our
beautiful environment has already created
thousands of jobs by attracting tourists
into our country.
We need to sustain this interest of over
8 million tourists who visit our country
each year to ensure continuous injection
of much needed foreign currency into our
economy which in turn create jobs. Figures
of tourist who prefer visiting South Africa
keep on increasing.
If we neglect the environment, it will
become less appealing and tourist numbers
will start to dwindle. We don’t need this
scenario. In the unlikely event that it
happens, many of us will not only lose jobs,
but also the ability to provide for our
families.
In conclusion, the environment is like
white blood cells which defend our bodies
against diseases. Once they surrender defeat
to all sorts of attacks, human life perishes.
For our sake and to create a legacy which
future generations should proudly inherit,
we need to spare no efforts in our fight
to protect the environment.
Thank you.
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World Day To Combat Desertification Celebrations
Focus On Link Between Desertification And
Climate Change
19 June 2007 - Media Alert
Department of Environmental Affairs and
Tourism
TUESDAY, 19 JUNE 2007: The Deputy Minister
of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, Ms
Rejoice Mabudafhasi together with the Eastern
Cape Provincial government, NGO’s, the private
sector and communities will converge at
Machubeni in the Eastern Cape in commemoration
of World Day to Combat Desertification (WDCD)
on Wednesday, 20 June 2007.
Celebrated annually on 17 June, the pertinent
WDCD theme for 2007 is “Desertification
and Climate Change - One Global Challenge,”
as declared by the UN Convention to Combat
Desertification (UNCCD).
The Machubeni Catchment Management project
in Emalahleni Municipality will come under
the spotlight during the celebrations which
are aimed at raising awareness while showcasing
initiatives contributing to combating desertification
and climate change.
World Day to Combat Desertification provides
an opportunity to highlight sustainable
solutions designed to combat desertification
while emphasizing the integral community
participation dimension.
To date the Department of Environmental
Affairs and Tourism has introduced eight
pilot projects totaling R 40 million to
rehabilitate land and fight land degradation
under the Community Based Natural Resources
Management (CBNRM) Programme.
The media is invited to attend and be part
of the proceedings to view the projects.
For further information and / or interviews
with the Deputy Minister, Ms Rejoice Mabudafhasi,
please contact:
Mr Mava Scott (Departmental Spokesperson)
