page 2 news 28 november 2008 about us war on burning of … · 2011-02-07 · page 2 news 28...
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NEWSPage 2 28 November 2008
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The eZasegagasini Metro isthe official eThekwiniMunicipality publicationthrough which ratepayersand residents are informedof news, entertainment andperspectives in greaterDurban. It is also a forumfor readers’ views. It hits the streets fortnightlyon a Friday, with 400 000copies distributedthroughout the region.To contact us:eZasegagasini Metro, POBox 5588, Durban, 4000 Newsroom: 031 311 2290/81/84 Fax: 031 306 4603Reception: 031 311 [email protected] Info Centre0800 331 011 (toll-free)[email protected]
Municipal queries:0800 331 011Electricity faults:080 131 3111Electricity Tampering080 131 3111Street Light Faults:080 131 3111Robot Faults:0800 333 467Emergencies:031 361 0000Ambulance: 101 77Revenue Billing:031 328 1200Metro PoliceInner West: 031 311 6752 South: 031 402 0689 North: 032 533 1027 Isipingo: 031 910 7300 Central: 031 311 4698 Communications and PR:031 311 2809Regional officesCentral: 031 311 5730North: 031 561 1101South: 031 311 5844Umkomaas: 031 311 5407Outer West: 031 311 2717Inner West: 031 311 6286Overgrown verges, trees:Central: 031 205 1418Inner West: 031 311 6916North: 031 566 3712Outer West: 031 767 3908South: 031 311 5573Stormwater; burst mains; sewer faults; traffic signals:080 131 3013Disaster Management:031 306 4074Animal Nuisance andAbandoned Vehicles:031 311 2814Durban Solid Waste (DSW): 031 311 8804
Editor: Ntsiki MagwazaNews Editors:Thrusha Naidoo, MandlaNseleSub-editor: Matthew HattinghWriters: SiyabongaMaphumulo, Ken Mchunu,Sohana Singh, Alan Cooper,Derrick Dlamini, SamanthaMoodley, Mack Makhathini,Sane Shandu, ThembaNyathikazi, ThembaKhumalo, EmmanuelKleinbooi, Khaya Sengani,Romita Hanuman Photographer: Jessie SinghTranslations: Siyabonga Maphumulo,Themba Nyathikazi, KenMchunu, Derrick Dlamini,Mack Makhathini
SAMANTHA MOODLEY
THE burning of waste isdamaging the environmentin eThekwini, but the CityHealth Department is hopingits campaign, which includesworkshops, education drivesand incentive schemes, willbring about change.
Siva Chetty, the depart-ment’s Deputy Head for Poll-ution Control, said the cam-paign aimed to make peopleaware of the emissionscaused by burning waste, andthe damage this does.
“We want to educate peopleto change their behaviourand practices. If we changebehaviour we can have abetter environment,” he said.
Chetty said burning wastereleases toxic, cancer-causingdioxins. He said up to 60% ofdioxins in the environmentcome from burning waste.
He said a lesson could belearned from tropical rainforests. These grow in poor,fragile soil but flourishbecause it recycles its waste.We should “incorporate thisforest thinking into oursociety,” Chetty said.
Muna Lakhani, NationalCoordinator for the Institutefor Zero Waste in Africa, advo-cates converting waste intoresources and is against inci-neration and using land fillsto get rid of waste.
“Think about what willhappen to the next sevengenerations before you makea decision. People and plan-etary health is on the decline.
Burning waste is bad becauseit destroys resources. It’s ahealth hazard, it causes a lossof energy and contributes toclimate change. What can’t berecycled and compactedshould no longer be made,”he said.
The department is workingon two projects aimed atreducing pollution and pro-moting better health: Recyc-ling polyethylene terephtha-late (PET ) bottles and a saferdrums initiative.
Drums, used by industry tostore chemicals, are oftenwashed out and resold to thepublic, who use the drums tostore water, traditional beer,and other foodstuffs.
SafeThe project aims to remove
contaminated drums fromthe market, and introduce anew brand of drums, whichare safe and economicallysustainable.
PET bottles, which usuallycontain cool drinks or water,have caused a number ofpollution problems includingblocking storm-water drains.
They also release dioxinswhen burned. The PETproject, which will be pilotedat fast food outlets, hotels,schools and in the WarwickJunction, will collect, cleanand recycle PET bottles.
For more information call031 311 3722, or to lodge acomplaint about air pollu-tion, call 031 311 3555.
War onburning of waste
KHANYISILE Khumalo, of the eThekwini’s Sports and Recreation DevelopmentDepartment, wrestles with Ugu District Municipality Youth DevelopmentProgrammes Manager, Sipho Khuzwayo, for the Kwanaloga Games trophy. Theywere at the launch of the games, which will be contested by teams from 11KwaZulu-Natal municipalities, in Newcastle from 6 December to 8 December. Lastyear eThekwini was the overall winner, with Ugu finishing second
Picture: THEMBA KHUMALO
Help with maths, science
EMMANUEL KLEINBOOI
THE 60th anniversary of thethe United Nations’ adoptionof the Universal Declarationof Human Rights will becelebrated on 10 December.
The document affirms therights of people everywhereand enshrines basic free-doms of expression, peacefulassembly, association, andbelief.
These rights are acknow-ledged as the foundation of
freedom, justice and peace inthe world.
In South Africa, these rightsare enshrined in the Bill ofRights. It enshrines the rightsof all people in the countryand affirms the values ofhuman dignity, equality andfreedom.
The eThekwini Munici-
pality has shown its commit-ment to fostering a humanrights culture.
This is demonstrated by thework of the City’s Masakhane,Grants-in-Aid, Non-Racism,Non-Sexism and Non-Dis-crimination Committee,which is dedicated to easingpoverty, fostering equality
and eliminating discrimi-nation.
City units, such as Com-munity Participation andAction Support, help com-munities to participate inefforts to achieve a better life.
The Office of the Ombuds-person has been establishedto promote human rights and
to investigate transgressionsand see that matters are putright.
This Ombud helps educatethe public on issues con-cerning just administrativeaction, access to information,equality and anti-corruptionmeasures.
This is done to ensure citi-zens are properly informedand empowered to partici-pate in the affairs of theMunicipality.
ROMITA HANUMAN
AN AWARDS day for a City-backed programme to sup-port teachers and pupilsstudying maths, science andtechnology was held at theKwaMashu Teachers’ Centrerecently.
The programme is support-ed by the City’s Skills Dev-elopment Unit, the Inanda,Ntuzuma KwaMashu (Ink)Area Based Managementinitiative, and the EducationDepartment.
The department selected 10
schools to take part in theProgramme for TechnologicalCareers (Protech), which runsfrom 2007 to 2009.
Certificates were awarded toachievers in a number ofcategories, and SindiswaMzobe, of Phembisizwe High,was named the Top OverallStudent, while Brian Mthe-mbu, of Mzuvele High, wasnamed the Protech Student ofthe Year.
The City provided scientificcalculators to each pupil.
Puleng Monatisa, ProjectManager: Outreach, at SDU,
said: “All went well and thestudents enjoyed themselves.But we need more commit-ment from parents.”
Protech Manager MarionTakis said: “We have beenblessed with a dedicatedteam. Thank you students foryour commitment.”
Takis encouraged parents toget involved in their children’seducation. “Parent meetingshave been poorly attendedthis year, and we hope nextyear parents will be moreinvolved,” Takis said.
City exceeds targetsSAMANTHA MOODLEY
IN THE past year the City hasexceeded many of its targets,including building 18 149houses, naming 92% ofpreviously unnamed roadsand making 12 547 newsanitation connections.
These were some highlightsof a presentation by DeputyCity Manager Sipho Cele at arecent Integrated Develop-ment Plan (IDP) workshop forward committees from zones1 to 4.
The workshop was part ofthe yearly review process forthe IDP, the City’s 5-yearplanning document that isused to guide development
and service delivery.Every year the document is
taken to the community,through councillors, NGOs,organised labour, civic asso-ciations, community forums,businesses and religiousbodies to provide their input.
“The aim of these sessions isto solicit views from you, whoare community represen-tatives and champions ofdevelopment,” Cele said.
The review process draws toa close this weekend with thefinal workshops for the Northand North Central wards.
The IDP is available atlibraries – suggestions can befaxed to 031 311 3446.
Let the Games Begin
Focus on human rights
METRO REPORTER
THE City’s investmentpromotion agency wasnamed runner-up in theAfrica Investor Awards.
The Durban InvestmentPromotion Agency (Dipa)was the only South Africancontender and faced stiffcompetition from agenciesrepresenting whole countriesin the Investment PromotionAgency of the year category.
At the awards ceremony, atthe Inkosi Albert Luthuli
International ConventionCentre recently, Dipa sharedthe first runner-up positionwith the Board of InvestmentMauritius. The MalawiInvestment PromotionsAgency clinched the top spot.
Dipa’s Russell Curtis saidthe awards were a double
win for eThekwini. “It waspleasing for Durban to haveall the delegates in our city,and for us to be placed asfirst runner-up in theInvestment PromotionCategory.
“The event and awardswere a success for all of usAfricans, and a lesson thatwe can all do more if weimprove the partnershipsbetween government andbusiness,” Curtis said.
Dipa was headline sponsorof the awards.
Kudosfor Dipa