Chairperson, hon Minister, hon Deputy Minister, colleagues, friends and comrades, members of the audience, and esteemed officials, I greet you.
Despite the many challenges facing the waste sector in South Africa, it is heartening to note that the department has established an enabling legislative framework to address and deal with them as well as to promote a recycling economy which contributes to much needed job creation in our country. The sector has definitely moved away from the conventional end-of-pipe pollution control system by adopting full cycle accounting, based on the waste hierarchy approach of reduce, reuse, recycle and waste diversion away from the landfill site. This has been further reinforced through an integrated approach by the adoption of integrated waste management plans for municipalities, ensuring that local government prioritises waste management in their integrated development plans.
It is heartening to note that a new regulatory environment has been created, which will generate revenue and wealth from waste, which will be used to fund and incentivise recycling industries, job creation, and other economic opportunities and enterprises in the waste sector. By apportioning an appropriate value to waste, more waste can be diverted from landfill sites to recycling, reuse and energy recovery, bringing us closer to achieving significantly less waste dumped in landfill sites.
The fact that harmful chemicals are still being used in society has always been a concern to me. It is pleasing to note that substantial progress has been made in chemical safety and management through the banning and phasing out of chemicals that harm the environment and atmosphere, for example, ozone-depleting substances such as hydrofluorocarbons.
The department have undoubtedly taken up their responsibility as good citizens in the international effort to phase out harmful chemicals by implementing the provisions of several multilateral environmental agreements that we have acceded to. The new regulations phasing out these chemicals are a demonstration of our commitment to the international community in the fight against climate change, and to ensuring a safe society.
Training and awareness-raising will always be an area where resources must be invested in building an environment-conscious citizenry that will take responsibility for maintaining a clean environment. I note that the department has been providing support to municipalities in the development of guidelines and integrated development plans, as well as in training councillors and officials. Given the challenges at local government, this support will have to be bolstered by additional resources to enable better waste management at source.
The department must be applauded for the turnaround achieved in licensing the unlicensed landfill sites across the country and for bringing them into compliance. This will ensure that these waste sites are better managed and controlled. The basic waste collection rates have also increased over the years, which is pleasing to note. Enforcement of bylaws and more vigilant compliance and monitoring at local government level will certainly assist in keeping our cities and towns clean with the help of a more informed and more responsible citizenship.
Overall the regulatory, institutional and economic reforms adopted by the department for managing the waste sector are commendable.
Education in combating waste management problems starts right in your home, with training your children to be conscious of the protection of our environment and the challenges it is faced with. This is the very same way in which a child is taught about nonracism and equality. Teach a child from a young age and the teaching remains with them for life. You will note that the way a child grows up to be strict in his or her life depends on how they spend the early years of their lives. If they are brought up in that manner, they will grow up to be respectable, decent and honourable, with the knowledge and understanding that the environment is vital to our people.
There are key challenges, with the absence of large-scale recycling infrastructure to enable waste separation, waste diversion, recycling and recovery. Lack of policy and a regulatory framework to promote the waste management hierarchy results in a limited economic potential of the waste management sector, which has a possible turnover of approximately R50 billion per annum, and outdated waste management infrastructure with declining levels of capital investment and maintenance. Overall the portfolio committee was well pleased with the effort that the department put into formulating its strategic plan, the annual performance plan, the indicators and the relevant performance targets for the 2014-15 financial year. The committee considered them realistic and achievable, despite budgetary constraints.
The committee is also acutely aware of the capability of the department to use the allocations made to it to fully implement its strategic plan and annual performance plan, and to attain the indicators and targets that it has set itself, as clearly shown by the department's ability to spend about 99% of its budget in successive financial years.
All this was done in line with the 2012 Polokwane declaration on waste management. The ANC is committed to ensuring that our people have a better life in a clean and safe environment.
I must say I have found that the committee to which I have been allocated, the Portfolio Committee on Environmental Affairs, is very pleasing, satisfying and enriching. I think all the colleagues on it are working well as a team. This committee is going to do well in the interests of South Africa and in bettering the lives of all our people. Thank you. [Applause.]