Deputy Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs, Rejoice Mabudafhasi on 29 August hosted Newcastle community members in KwaZulu-Natal in a special celebration at the Phelandaba Stadium to mark the third consecutive year the Newcastle Local Municipality has won the Greenest Municipality Competition (GMC).

The Greenest Municipality Competition, previously known as the Cleanest Town Competition, is hosted annually by the Department of Environmental Affairs. Speaking on the significance of the GMC Award and the role of municipalities in environmental work, the Deputy Minister said: “As the Department of Environmental Affairs, we believe that municipalities play significant roles in environmental conservation because of the substantial size of land they manage.”

During the celebration the Department and the Local Municipality further raised awareness among communities regarding the projects being undertaken by Newcastle to transition to a green economy by showcasing the town’s water and energy conservation, waste recycling and job creation initiatives such as the waste-to-art project. The policies adopted by the Newcastle Local Municipality are to be utilised as a benchmark for other municipalities in South Africa, according to a statement released by the Department of Water and Environmental Affairs.

Defining developments

A number of projects have set Newcastle apart from other towns and cities in South Africa. The Newcastle Municipality has a Council-approved Integrated Waste Management Plan which can provide other municipalities with insightful information on how to adopt a sustainable approach to conserve the environment. According to the Department, the plan is constantly analysed and updated “to highlight a detailed waste stream that can be adjusted to meet individual municipalities’ needs.”

“In its waste-to-energy projects, the local municipality understands that its’ waste streams are around 200 tons a day which will be able to sustain a gas-to-electricity project,” explained the statement, adding that however, scenarios also exist which enable the municipality to reduce it greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere as part of its efforts towards adapting to climate change. The Newcastle Municipality also boasts a Composting Plant into which garden refuse generated in the area is channelled and turned into compost. By doing this the garden refuse is not being landfilled, which saves space. A Biogenic Waste fraction is utilised in compost making.

Newcastle residents are also being encouraged to separate waste at source through the introduction of a two bag system. An education campaign is on-going to ensure that all households know what the two bags are used for — recyclable dry waste into the coloured or clear bag and residue waste into the black bag. Residents receive a fridge magnet to inform them of what should and should not go into these bags.

Furthermore, the Department of Environmental Affairs, with the support of Umgeni Water, launched an Adopt the River Project in the town in August following the concerns of litter settling from a local bus and taxi rank into the Ncandu River. The R442 000 project has created an opportunity for 49 individuals who are being trained to clean the river by removing all the waste that converges along the bank and in the river. All recyclable waste is to be landfilled. Awareness raising is being conducted in cooperation with private sector partners such as MTN and Pick n Pay.

Newcastle has also received 100% compliance in drinking water thus achieving Blue Drop Status.

The Newcastle Landfill Site contributed significantly to greening initiatives through the processing of its biogenic waste through a waste diversion strategy. Most of the dry waste is also being diverted from the site through an informal picking process. The PET factory in Madadeni focuses on relationships with co-operatives which provide an alternative process to diverting waste into landfills. The recycling of waste PET or cold drink bottles creates opportunities for individuals to make a sustainable living out of picking up these waste products and providing them to the factory.

Municipal leaders in Newcastle have also been very involved in upholding the status of the Greenest Municipality. The municipality has gone paperless and all councillors are encouraged to use their laptops at meetings. Councillors are also involved in a Cleanest Ward Competition which encourages communities to develop community gardens as a means of food sustainability, recognize recycling and general cleanliness within wards and educate learners on the importance of a clean and healthy environment.

The municipality’s gardens have been globalised by adopting waterwise gardening policies. The gardens use less water as the landscaping utilises more “hardened” plants. Alien and invasive species are also being eradicated to restore river banks, while illegal dumping sites are converted into paths and parks. The creation of controlled environments has eliminated illegal dumping which used to be a breeding ground for rodents.

The municipality has also contributed significantly to the reduction of the town’s carbon footprint through a well-maintained fleet, using low sulphur diesel vehicles.

When concluding her speech, the Deputy Minister not only commended the Newcastle Local Municipality, but also challenged them, saying: “As we celebrate the big achievement, you should always remember that you have set the bar very high and that will make other competing municipalities envious.  However, the standard you have set can also inspire others to work even harder to meet and exceed your performance.”