SA looks to improve waste management

Water and Environmental Affairs Minister Edna Molewa has gazetted the National Waste Management Strategy (NWMS), which proposes ways to improve and address key issues experienced in waste management in the country.

The strategy aims to achieve the objectives of the Waste Act, which are to minimise the consumption of natural resources and general waste; prevent pollution; promote and ensure the effective delivery of waste services; and, achieve integrated waste management reporting and planning. According to the minister, the NWMS is structured around a framework of set goals, each with targets that must be met by 2016. The goals include:

read more...

Free pet vaccinations in Gauteng

It is that time of the year again when Gauteng residents who own pets are all invited by the Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development for a free rabies booster vaccination. The campaign will come to an area near you. The departmental Vets want to ensure that all pets in the province are vaccinated for rabies.

The department invites residents to vaccinate their pets, such as dogs and cats, even if they were vaccinated previously. In recent years, a number of rabies cases have been reported in parts of the province, such as Soweto.

read more...

A boost to Gauteng farming communities

Yesterday, MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development Nandi Mayathula-Khoza launched the West Rand Agricultural Training institute in Magaliesburg, Mogale City. The institute will be a centre of excellence that is accessible to all communities that seek to participate and practice farming activities.

The department has engaged the Mogale City municipality in the West Rand to forge a partnership in providing training and capacity building of farmers in the West Rand and Gauteng Province in general. Agriculture is the most important sector for economic growth in the country and it has always been government's first priority to ensure that the farming community is empowered with necessary skills to effectively improve their competitiveness and produce quality products for the markets.

read more...

Gauteng to host a Rural Summit

From 16-17 March 2012, communities in and around rural Gauteng will gather in Hekpoort, in Mogale City Local Municipality, for the provincial rural summit. More than 500 delegates and influential stakeholders are expected to attend and participate during the summit. The summit is expected to highlight the signing of the Gauteng Rural Social Compact Plan by major key industry role players such as organized agriculture, labour and government.

The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development [GDARD], as the main player to improve the lives of rural communities in the province, successfully launched the Gauteng Comprehensive Rural Development Strategy based on the Gauteng Employment, Growth and Development Strategy [GCRDS] in March 2011 in Devon, Lesedi Local Municipality. GDARD also developed the Comprehensive Rural Development Programme (CRDP) framework in order to effectively respond to the rural development mandate.

read more...

Sowetans urged to preserve Wetland

Environmentalists, government officials and communities from around Soweto gathered at Dorothy Nyembe Education Centre in Dobsnville to listen to MEC Nandi Mayathula-Khoza raise awareness and outline measures on how to preserve and protect wetlands. The event was a partnership between the Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development [GDARD] and other partners such as City Parks and the City of Joburg to celebrate Wetland's Day.

February 2 is World Wetlands Day, which marks the date of the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands in 1971. Each year government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and communities across the world act to create awareness on wetland values and benefits general, and the Ramsar Convention.

read more...