Gemeenskapsake
Community affairs focuses on issues that have a direct impact on the community’s health and safety, including issues on municipal level. This is done through a network of AfriForum branches across South Africa – by people, for people.
ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS
Almal het die reg tot ’n gesonde omgewing wat goeie gesondheid bevorder. Dit is egter moontlik dat politiese omstandighede mense van hul omgewingsregte kan ontneem. Om hierdie rede is AfriForum se omgewingsake-afdeling in die lewe geroep: Om omgewingsgesondheid en die volhoubaarheid daarvan binne die raamwerk van omgewings- en waterwetgewing te bewerkstellig en te bevorder.
The division especially utilises its branches’ environmental affairs portfolios to create a national environmental and water monitoring function by acting as watchdog by identifying violations and holding the applicable regulator responsible for effective water and environmental management. The division also focuses on creating a strong self-do ability in branches, to help maintain water infrastructure, clean up landfill sites and repair sewage infrastructure where possible and in cooperation with local municipalities. It is in the branch’s interest to create a sustainable future for its descendants by driving environmentally-related actions.
Environmental Affairs’ activities can be divided between projects, campaign and petitions.
Projects
Omgewingsake is met verskeie projekte en inisiatiewe gemoeid. Die belangrikste hiervan is:
Blou-en-groendruppelprojek
This project focuses on the quality of drinking and sewage water, and ensures that municipalities’ water quality complies with minimum legal requirements. In this way, Environmental Affairs has already ensured that at least 7 million people have access to clean drinking water.
Vullisterreinoudit
This audit measures the compliance of municipal landfill sites to legislation at the hand of a number of questions based on the minimum legal requirements for landfill sites.
Boomplantmaand
Although South Africa celebrates National Arbour Week, Environmental Affairs extended this to a month in a bid to create awareness for this indispensable resource.
Skoonmaakmaand
Dié projek stel die gemeenskap in staat om self ’n geïdentifiseerde gebied in hul dorp te teiken en skoon te maak deur rommel op te tel, bome en struike te snoei en dit daarna na ’n vullisterrein weg te ry.
Noodwaterpunte
AfriForum help droogtegeteisterde gemeenskappe deur noodwaterpunte te skep waar water beskikbaar gestel kan word, soos byvoorbeeld onlangs in Kaapstad die geval was.
Mynwaterlisensieoudit
Dié oudit bepaal of die Departement van Omgewingsake die mynbedryf se waterverbruik ingevolge lisensievoorwaardes doeltreffend bestuur, asook hoeveel myne sonder dié lisensies myn.
Herwinning
The project focuses on recycling om branch level and includes the recycling of paper, bottles, cans, printer ink cartridges, carton, batteries and even furniture. By launching a recycling project, the branch can have a very positive impact on the environment and – if managed correctly – even generate an income for the branch.
Bewaringsgebiede
This project focuses on national parks and nature reserves in local communities, as well as participation in arbour month. The aim is to create a self-do ability to maintain local conservancies and establish input on sustainable development.
Bedreigde spesies
This project will inform members of endangered fauna and flora species, especially in case of any red data species and endangered or sensitive ecosystems.
Sentrum vir plaaslike regering
Dit is alombekend dat Suid-Afrika in sowel ’n munisipale as regeringskrisis verkeer. Vir die afgelope paar jaar ontvang minder as 10% van die land se munisipaliteite ’n skoon oudit. Munisipale verval het uiteraard ’n vernietigende uitwerking op gemeenskappe se lewenspeil en plaaslike ekonomieë.
Weens die aard en spesialiteit van die werk wat deur AfriForum Gemeenskapsake (GMS) verrig word, is dit nodig dat die afdeling ook deur ’n meer gespesialiseerde navorsingsvermoë ondersteun word.
Die Sentrum vir Plaaslike Regering is ’n navorsingsinstelling wat vele aspekte van plaaslike bestuur sal ondersoek. Dit sal binne die gemeenskapsake-afdeling gesetel wees en uiteraard nou met dié afdeling saamwerk om teorie en praktyk by mekaar uit te bring. Die oorhoofse idee is om plaaslike regerings se benarde toestand in die land uit te lig en dit gelyktydig met idees en oplossings “te laat praat”.
Soos die naam aandui, sal algemene munisipale sake en navorsing beslis ook aan die bod kom. Die sentrum sal daarna streef om nie net die voorste ontledingsbron oor munisipale aangeleenthede te wees nie, maar ook om relevante navorsingsuitsette van goeie gehalte te produseer. Voorts sal dit as waghond optree – veral ten opsigte van munisipale verval en korrupsie.
Dr. Eugene Brink is die bestuurder van die sentrum.
Mediaverklarings
Parys branch holds “funeral” for service delivery
Kempton Park branch beautifies grounds at cemetery
AfriForum welcomes “stink fine” for MP municipality, disappointed that officials are not held personally responsible
Verslae
Media statements
Organisations and specialists urged to register on AfriForum’s Water Crisis Portal
AfriForum requests urgent meeting with Mashatile regarding water crisis
