Remarks by the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Ms Barbara Creecy at the handover of Waste Management Fleet at Merafong City Local Municipality, Gauteng

Executive Mayor of West Rand, Cllr. Hullet Hild

Executive Mayor of Merafong, Cllr. Nozuko Best

Executive Mayor of Rand West, Cllr. Gladys Khoza

Ladies and gentlemen

Exactly a week ago, I was in Limpopo Province handing over four specialised waste fleet vehicle to the Collins Chabane Local Municipality and the Ba-Phalaborwa Local Municipality.

The two local municipalities each received a waste compactor truck and a skip loader to assist them in the delivery of efficient waste management services to their communities.

I am here today to continue the work that was started in Limpopo to improve waste services and to ensure our country becomes proudly free of illegal dumping, litter and other waste.

We are all aware of our Constitutional Right to an environment that is not harmful to our health and well-being. We are also well aware of the fact that a large number of municipalities in South Africa are struggling to provide the communities they service will regular, and consistent, waste collection services. These municipalities also struggle to clear illegal dumps and to meet landfill site compliance requirements.

Because of this, there has been an increase in illegal dumping in some areas, which could either be the result of failing collection services or a lack of awareness by the municipality and resident about the impact of pollution on the environment and the health of the community.

Waste and pollution are among the greatest threats to the health of our environment. As a result, government has accepted the responsibility to ensure the required laws and policies are in place to address waste issues.

One of these has been the development and review of the National Waste Management Strategy, which is implemented in terms of the Waste Act

A key pillar of the National Waste Management Strategy, which was published in 2020, is ensuring effective and sustainable waste services as we work to develop and grow the Circular Economy.

In looking to the future of waste management in South Africa, the success of the recycling economy through, for example, the role of waste pickers, the proper implementation of regulatory systems, job creation and the growth of Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises are key.

Also important is the promotion of public awareness and supporting waste service delivery – all in the context of a successful Circular Economy in which we, as citizens and municipalities look at waste in a new light. A future in which we recycle, repurpose and reuse old household and personal items that do not need to be thrown away, and thus reduce the amount of waste being taken to landfill, or dumped illegally within our suburbs, townships and in public areas.

If we are successful at implementing these simple rule, we could create more jobs within the waste sector, and increase awareness and compliance around waste.

Where waste cannot be prevented, 40% should be diverted from landfill within 5 years through reuse, recycling, recovery and alternative waste treatment: 25% of waste reduction in waste generation; and 20% waste reused in the economic value chain.

The Waste Management Strategy also outlines the importance of effective and sustainable waste services to ensure that all South Africans live in clean communities and where waste services are well managed and financially sustainable.

It is through the effective management of waste that our country will realise its goal of a nature-based Green Economy.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Because many municipalities have irregular and inconsistent waste collection services, these impact on our environment and the health of our citizens. The costs of providing proper waste services are mainly on operations and fleet.

The Municipal Infrastructure Grant (MIG) policy used to fund only immovable assets, such as the development of landfill sites and transfer stations didn’t initially accommodate funding of operations equipment and fleets, such as waste compactor trucks, Front End Loaders, TLBs and skip loader trucks which takes up about 70% of the total cost of providing waste services in municipalities.

But, through the collaboration between the Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries, National Treasury and the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), the municipal infrastructure grant policy now includes funding of yellow fleet. I would like to encourage all municipalities to take advantage of these changes in order to purchase the waste operation fleet from your own MIG allocation.

My Department is already making use of this opportunity and has prioritised a portions of its own allocation to purchase yellow fleet for twenty (20) municipalities at a cost of more than R42 million. This will contribute to the improvement of waste services in communities such as yours.

In deciding which municipalities would be benefiting from the provision of yellow fleet by the Department, we considered a number of aspects. These included the assessment of waste management and consultations with Provincial Waste Management Officers so that we could better understand the needs and challenges in municipalities.

In considering the needs in your area, we looked at the complaints received about the Libanon landfill Site and engagement with the officials in the Rand West City Local Municipality regarding the interventions needed. Merafong Local Municipality officials were also engaged in the exercise. During the process of delivery of these specialised waste fleet to the various municipalities, the MMC for Integrated Environment in the West Rand District, Cllr Kotze submitted an oversight report on environmental issues in Merafong.

That is why a front end loader and a skip loader are being handed over today. I believe that waste which was not removed from the Fochville Waste Transfer Station will now be addressed through the donated skip loader truck.

I trust that the mayors, through this donated specialised waste fleet, will ensure that your municipalities make a significant impact in addressing waste challenges in your areas.

While these vehicles may not be enough to address all challenges overnight, they are a start to ensuring an effective delivery of waste services.

As I officially hand over these two vehicles to you, I would like to appeal to residents to join hands with your municipality, and with each other, to ensure that your neighbourhoods are clean. I encourage you all to pick up litter on the pavement outside your home, in your parks and in the street, to throw your waste in a bin and not next to it, and to support your municipality in its efforts to delivery effective waste services.

These vehicles have been delivered to your municipalities already and today to I am officially handing over to you.

I thank you.

Source: Government of South Africa