By Nneka Nwogwugwu
Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Deputy Minister, Makhotso Sotyu, on Friday announced a ground-breaking R29 million waste management intervention for Mangaung Metro Municipality in the Free State province.
“This intervention is in response to a request for assistance from Mangaung Metro Municipality due to waste management challenges and financial budget constraints that the municipality is facing,” said Sotyu.
The waste management intervention for Mangaung is implemented under the auspices of the Expanded Public Works Programmes (EPWP) through the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), contributing towards environmental protection, conservation and sustainability, whilst creating work opportunities, and providing skills development to enable beneficiaries to secure permanent employment.
The department is supporting municipalities to include environmental priorities in Local Economic Development Plans, Disaster Management Plans and Integrated Development Plans.
“Upon receiving the request from Mangaung, I instructed the department to draft a comprehensive plan to assist the metro to improve waste management in the municipality.
“The intervention, which we have prioritised and is funded by the department [to the tune of] about R29 million, is meant to improve landfill operations, revitalise the two buy-back centres and [see the] clearing of illegal dumping and street cleaning,” Sotyu said at the ceremony to announce the waste management intervention.
The Deputy Minister kick-started her visit to Mangaung with an oversight visit to the Pelonomi ambient air quality monitoring station, All Africa reports.
