Honourable MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development

SPEECH BY THE HON. PREMIER OF GAUTENG BONTLE KE BOTHO AWARD CEREMONY 12 JULY 2012 BIRCHWOOD HOTEL

Programme Director

Honourable MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development, Ms Nandi Mayathula-Khoza, Former MEC for Agriculture, Conservation and Environment, Mr Khabisi Mosunkutu MMC Ward Councilliors Officials from all spheres of government Partners representing the CBO, NGO and Business sectors Community Members Members of the Media

Good Evening, Gooi more, Molweni, Dumelang, Dematsheroni. Honourable MEC for Agriculture, Rural and Social Development, Ms Nandi Mayathula-Khoza, Former MEC for Agriculture, Conservation and Environment, Mr Khabisi Mosunkutu, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, Comrades and Friends from the private and public sector, Good evening and welcome to the 10 year celebration of the Bontle Ke Botho (BKB) Campaign and Award Ceremony.

of 4 It is truly an honour for me to deliver this speech as we celebrate a milestone in the Bontle Ke Botho (BKB) Campaign. Under the theme “Celebrating a decade of collaborative environmental protection”, it is indeed gratifying and uplifting that we have collectively managed to sustain the Bontle ke Botho Campaign for a decade. Initiated in 2002, the Bontle Ke Botho (BKB), Gauteng’s Clean and Green Campaign is an Educational Education project and a strategy through which the Gauteng Province seeks to respond to the requirements of the Johannesburg Plan of implementation (JPOI) agreed to by countries at the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD).

There is no doubt that this milestone of the BKB Campaign reaching a decade is a phenomenal and historic feat for our Province of Gauteng, our Country, and the entire environmental fraternity, considering that very few projects initiated prior or post the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) did not last very long, which is truly unfortunate.

Ladies and Gentlemen, the BKB milestone which we have all assembled here today to celebrate, clearly demonstrates that working together as Social partners, Business, Citizens and Government, we can indeed do more. This confirms that through the collaborative approach adopted for the implementation of this campaign, we ensured that the campaign remained relevant and able to respond to the global, national, provincial and local environmental strategies as well as the legislation supporting the Constitution of the country.

As we are all aware, enshrined in our Constitution is the right of all citizens to a clean and healthy environment. “Everyone has the right to an environment that is not harmful to their health or well-being; and to have the environment protected, for the benefit of present and future generations,”

It is therefore incumbent upon us Ladies and Gentlemen, to ensure we strive to protect the environment for the present and future generations.

Ladies and Gentlemen, this 10 year BKB celebration is also an opportune time for us to reflect on the past decade. To identify our challenges and successes in order to afford us an opportunity to rectify where we need to and fast track where we should, to ensure our communities enjoy a clean and healthy environment.

of 4 Equally important about this year’s BKB celebration and award ceremony is the opportunity it presents for us to pay homage to the fore-bearers of the BKB Campaign. The touch-bearers who initiated this important campaign amid very challenging circumstances and preserved despite and so tonight, we will also be honouring them for a job well done.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I also wish to take this opportunity to congratulate all the schools and wards that will be receiving prizes today, well done to you all. I also wish to thank and encourage the schools and wards that will not receive prizes today for participating in the campaign, your efforts towards a clean and healthy environment are not in vain and contribute towards making a better life for our people, therefore, thank you and always remember you are all winners.

While we celebrate the winners of tonight awards ceremony, it is also imperative to remind us all that the prize money must be utilised for improving and expanding the existing projects as well as initiating new projects. We should bear in mind that non-expenditure with the BkB prize money translates to a delay in service delivery, which we should not allow to happen Honourable MEC.

In conclusion, allow me to remind us of the significance of the month of July, the month in which we celebrate the BKB Campaign and Award Ceremony. July 18th as we all know is Nelson Mandela International Day.

A day we annually celebrate and honour our former Statesman and icon, Nelson Mandela’s 67 years of selfless public service. This year again, we join nations of the world in celebrating a milestone in Tata’s Mandela’s life, as he turns 94. Fellow South Africans, when we celebrate this historic day in 6 days time, we must be cognizant of the objective of the Mandela Day, which is to inspire individuals to take action to help change the world for the better, and in so doing, build a global movement for good.

We therefore urge companies, individuals, leaders and the youth to take heed of this call to service in honour of Tata, who despite the threats of persecution and death, remained resolute to this commitment to serve humankind. Not even 27 years of imprisonment on Robben Island could deter that drive, Tata’s dedication was unwavering and his commitment resolute to seeing that dream a reality.

of 4 The theme for Mandela Day 2012 is “Celebrating our Children”. An apt theme for an Icon who’s love, passion and dedication towards the children is truly unsurpassed. I therefore want to remind us all that our actions today will affect our future and children, and therefore what better way to celebrate our children than to love and protect them and the environment in which they live in?

I therefore urge us all, that in honouring uTata next week, we also include environmental work during the Mandela Day. This can take the form of cleaning our parks, schools, rivers and removing litter in old Age Homes, Children’s Home, Places of Safety and Planting trees in honour of Tata Mandela at a school.

Remembering, fellow South Africans, that giving of ourselves towards the improvement of humanity is a continuous practice that should not be limited to only the 18th July.

Also bearing in mind that living in a clean and healthy environment is a Constitutional Right that should be enjoyed by our people, this is a Right, Ladies and Gentlemen, that we should all cherish, protect and ensure becomes a reality for the millions of our people who currently live in unhealthy environments.

As I conclude, let me re-iterate that taking care of our environment is our collective responsibility. This responsibility and environmental activism can be shown through supporting and participating in the BkB campaign in 2012 and beyond.

Let’s work together in ensuring that we live Clean and Green - Bontle ke Botho!!! Kuyasheshwa: Gauteng Working Better

Thank you,