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27 November 2007

Executive Mayors Ina Masombuka, Jack Rapatsa, Clara Ndlhovu and BM Khumalo
Speaker of Emalahleni Municipality Paul van Castle
Councillors
Acting Head of Department Philemon Mathebula
Municipal managers
Chief Directors and directors
Municipal officials
Invited guests

Programme Director, one of Africa's esteemed Poets and writers Ben Okri in his poem turn on your light says I quote: "The new era is already here, here the new time begins anew. The new era happens every day, every day is a new world, a new calendar. The new era that happens everyday and the new time that begins anew calls on all of us to do things differently. The new era that is already here calls for the love of the environment and our immediate surroundings. It says everyday I will strive towards leaving the world in a better state than I found it. The new era that happens everyday and the new time that begins anew calls on municipalities to partner their communities in fighting poverty by conserving the environment. The new era that is already here calls for the youth to turn waste into wealth thereby developing themselves and their communities."

Ben Okri in turn on your light continues to ask, and I quote: "Will you be at the harvest, among the gatherers of new fruits?" Close quote. The question is will your municipality be at the harvest? Will it be among the gatherers of the new fruit who get rewarded just for managing waste? What role have you played to bring us here, and what role are you playing in your own home, township and town to minimise waste generation? The awards are living proof that it pays to look after the environment, you may see the benefits in future but you will be rewarded today for your efforts. You will earn your keep whilst ensuring that our children inherit a world of splendour and wonder.

Waste management and clean spaces contribute to a green Mpumalanga which in turn mitigates climate change. When we speak about climate change and global warming people call us scare scientist, we are labelled prophets of doom who would love to see an end to the world.

More often than not Mother Nature confirms our truth by unleashing freak storms in certain parts of the Province and country whilst other areas suffer from drought.

We have to encourage our peers who have not entered the competition that they should follow suit. We should make it clear to them that the Cleanest Town Competition affords them an opportunity to receive a grant that they have not applied for. It should be made clear that the Competition rewards them for doing the right thing. It is not about winning but about showcasing your genius to the world.

We should educate our people about ways and means that they can use to fight poverty whilst conserving the environment. We need to overcome the historical thinking that has been inculcated into our people that because they are poor, therefore they lack the skill, knowledge and capital to deal with their problems.

We should partner everybody in this endeavour and match pound for pound government's commitment to preserve the environment. In our villages and towns we must translate government's plan to conserve bio-diversity into concrete actions. We must do things that will bring people from other parts of the world into our towns to come and learn the best practices that we have started. Let us become green entrepreneurs by taking advantage of the ever increasing environmental awareness. Out of this concern for the environment world class enterprise that will concern them with producing energy saving devices should emerge. No stone should be left unturned; when we see open spaces or heaps of rubbish we must ask ourselves how I can make money from this.

The war on waste requires a multi-task team that attacks on all fronts, from the home to the office, from the road to the rubbish dump. It requires partnerships of all stakeholders in a particular municipality from the elderly women to the young men of the village.

Women must be brought into the fold so that they may gain control over their lives, their social and economic position in life need to change. Trees have to be planted for food, fuel and income generation. We need to encourage the formation of village based women lead enterprises that will on a small scale plant trees for fire wood and other uses.

We must from time to time knock on our councillor's door to indicate or suggest new ways that can be used to deal with waste. It should not be only the Mayor or Municipal Manager who worry about littering. If we see any litter we must be so concerned that we will peak it up and dispose of it in the right manner. We must proud about the cleanliness of our town and townships as we live in them.

We must treat our streets as we treat our homes, keeping them clean and free of any litter. From time to time we must embark on cleaning campaigns in our neighbourhoods.

Let us at all times remember that: Each new era begins within. It is an inward event, with unsuspected possibilities for inner liberation. We could use it to turn on our inward lights. We could use it to use even the dark and negative things positively. We could use the new era to clean our eyes, to see the world differently, to see ourselves more clearly. Help fulfil the golden prophecies. Press forward the human genius. Our future is greater than our past, as Ben Okri would say in turn on your light.

May the cleanest town win the million but all of those who entered are winners in their own right its just that only one who has done most will win tonight.

Let us keep Mpumalanga green and beautiful.

I thank you.

Issued by: Department of Agriculture and Land Administration, Mpumalanga Provincial Government
27 November 2007