Speech by Gauteng MEC for Agriculture, Conservation and Environment, Khabisi Mosunkutu at the launch of the Environment Matters Series

11 October 2007

Programme director
Our guests of honour, including leaders of political parties present, representatives of school governing Bodies, The principals, educators, environmentalist, conservationists, NGOs and CBOs
Members of the Gauteng Legislature
Mayors, members of various Mayoral Committees and councilors present
Heads of Gauteng departments:
Head of Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Environment Dr Steven Cornelius
Senior managers and officials from the department
Representatives
Invited guests
Ladies and gentlemen

I am delighted to be among you today and to speak on the essence of this event.

Books or Module already Launched

In the past, the GDACE jointly with the Department of Education launched the following books as part of our education and awareness creation to communities, mostly learners. These were:

• Books on Animals and Food
• Foundation Phase from Grade R - 3
• The intermediate Phase from Grades 4 - 6
• The Senior Phase from Grade 7 - 9

Focus Area of Books

Today again jointly with the Department of Education, we are taking the issues of Environmental Education and Awareness forwards by focusing on the followings books that will be included in our school curriculum from next year:

• Preservation of Water
• Air pollution

Revised National Curriculum Statement

• These books are developed in line with the Revised National Curriculum Statement (RNCS)
• Comprised of Learner's Books and Educators' Guides aimed at helping both the educators and learners to explore issues in a way that stimulates debate about the relationships between human beings and the environment
• Developed in line with the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation (JPOI) as adopted by the World Summit on Sustainable Development ( WSSD)

Current challenges

• Climate Changes

Negative contribution of both domestic and industrial activity on climate warming

• River Cleaning Campaign

  Keeping rivers clean as a means to preserve water

• Litter Free Campaign

• Challenges of living in litter free societies -
• The contribution of litter towards an unhealthy environment,
• Sopping sewerage spilling into our river systems

• Bontle ke Botho (BkB) - Greening and Clean Campaign

Conclusion

This book will help:

Shape our commitment to responsible behavior towards the environment

Explore the underlying causes of the problem

Develop new ways of addressing those problems as informed by different perspectives

I thank you.