A panel comprising officials from the provincial Department of Health, the national Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, the provincial Department of Environmental Affairs & Development Planning and Tsoga, the latter a non-government community and environmental organisation, undertook site visits between May and July 2006 evaluating the 22 participating municipalities. Valuable input also was obtained from officials from the provincial Department of Local Government and Housing about the planning, development and maintenance of key water and sanitation infrastructure in the municipalities. A comprehensive report was distributed to municipal representatives at the awards ceremony.
Municipalities were evaluated on two key aspects:
- First, the physical condition of each municipal area which are the town or city centres, low income residential areas, commercial and industrial areas, tourist attractions and public facilities for example schools, taxi ranks and sports facilities, as well as the waste disposal sites. This aspect accounts for 40% of the assessment.
- The second aspect of the evaluation, which is often more complex to measure, is the municipal support systems. This includes environmental programmes and projects that are in place as evidenced by the level of community involvement and awareness by caring for their environment. Specific aspects covered are municipal waste minimisation programmes, e.g. recycling or re-use of waste products for job creation, community mobilisation in environmental issues, budgetary and personnel support, comprehensive waste management planning and enforcement of environmental transgressions. Municipal support systems account for 60% of the assessment.
The Cleanest Town Competition is an opportunity for councils to show their commitment to their communities and the environment in which they live, especially towards service delivery and waste management practices. Initiated in 2001 by former Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, Mr Valli Moosa, the Cleanest Town Competition aims to encourage municipalities to improve their current environmental management practices with a specific focus on integrated waste management. In addition, the aims of the competition include the raising of environmental awareness amongst the public and the embodiment of the vision of "A Sustainable Home for All, Now and Forever", which the Western Cape Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning has adopted as part of the Premier's vision of "A Home for All" for the Province. This vision translates into the enhancement of a sustainable and equitable future, where the benefits of resources as well as the consequences of our environmental impacts are equally shared amongst the citizens of the Western Cape.
The competition is open to metropolitan and local municipalities nationally, with provincial winners competing against one another for the national title. Last year the Western Cape also did very well nationally, with Overstrand Hermanus municipality winning first runner-up in the local municipality category and the City of Cape Town taking the second runner-up in the Metro category.
The Cleanest Town Competition is a national competition co-ordinated by the national Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, while the provincial Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning manages the Western Cape leg of the competition.
Coenraad Pieterse
Provincial Government of the Western Cape
Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning
Communication Services
Utilitas Building
1 Dorp Street
Private Bag X9086
Cape Town 8000
Tel: 021 483 2823
Fax: 021 483 3211
http://www.capegateway.gov.za/eadp
