

Chapter 1



INTRODUCTION:
ENVIRONMENT AND RECONSTRUCTION

"Environmental concerns can unite South Africa, going beyond racial, political and economic barriers. In addition to the crisis in education, housing, employment and a host of other problems, the new democracy will be left with apartheid's environmental legacy.... it is often poor communities that are the victims of the government's weak environmental policies."

Nelson Mandela, 15 August 1993.

Why is environmental policy important for development?
When the new, democratic government was elected in April 1994 it took over a country that had been environmentally damaged by apartheid. The new government has to heal the damage done to the land, air, water and people. But it also has to make the RDP happen, without doing more damage to our environment. This is not going to be easy.

Our environment provides us with natural resources. It takes in our waste. If we don't protect our environment the economy will not grow. If we don't protect our environment, the people of South Africa will suffer. Poor people will suffer the most.

Under  apartheid  natural resources were shared unequally between the people. Black people were not allowed to control the use of natural resources around them. The white minority had lots of land, water and other natural resources. The  apartheid  government did not try to protect our natural resources or the health of the people. This can be seen in the homelands where the land has been damaged by too many people living on too little land. It can also be seen in the pollution in rivers next to sugar plantations. And in the air pollution around communities like Merebank.

We cannot make the RDP happen, or improve the lives of poor people in South Africa unless we look after our environment. All actions of the government must show a concern for our environment. For example:

Jobs:
All jobs depend on natural resources.
To grow enough food we need to use our soil and water better. Mining, plantations and sugar cane need lots of water. If we use our natural resources properly we can create new jobs. New jobs can be created in tourism, and by recycling rubbish.

Women's rights:
Women look after the health of their family. In rural areas, women walk long distances and carry heavy loads to get wood and water. When the environment is damaged or unhealthy, poor women have to work harder to look after their families. A healthy environment means greater equality for women.

Housing:
Providing housing is a very important job for the new government. But we must build houses which don't damage the environment. For example, we should not build houses on good land that can be used to grow food. Houses should be built in such a way that they stay warm in winter. This will mean that people will not have to burn so much coal to keep warm. No-one should have to live near dirty industries or unhealthy waste dumps.

Health and safety:
Many South Africans get ill because the air is polluted in and around their homes, and because they don't have clean water. Women in rural areas have health problems from carrying wood and water long distances. Workers in factories and on farms have health problems from working in unsafe conditions. Workers also suffer from air and water pollution at home.

Food security:
Farmers use a lot of chemical fertilizers and pesticides on their farms. These are dangerous to farm workers and people living in rural areas. Many are bad for the soil.

Scientists mix wild plants with the plants farmers use to breed crops that can survive drought, or disease. In order to be able to produce enough food for all South Africans in the future we must protect many different kinds of wild plants. Scientists can use these to breed better crops. We must protect the areas in which these plants grow. We must also protect the animals that live among these plants.

Selling our products to other countries.
In the past, South Africa has been able to sell our goods cheaply because industry did not have to pay to look after the environment. Other countries are not happy with this. They do not want to buy things that have been made in a way that has damaged the environment. In order to be able to sell our products to other countries, we have to find cleaner ways of making them. Industries that pollute the environment must pay to clean it up. This is called the polluter pays principle.

Money for development:
South Africa needs other countries to put money into creating more jobs in South Africa. These people want to put money into industries that don't damage the environment. Clean industries are often very successful because they don't waste resources. They have good health and safety records for workers. Working for a clean environment can create more, and better, jobs.

Parks and natural areas:
Everyone has the right to enjoy nature. It is important to preserve wild animals and the places in which they live. But the environment is not just about game reserves. It is also about the quality of life in towns. It is about the shade of trees, a space for children to play and for old people to sit and remember. It is about "parks for people" and gardens where people can grow things. We need parks to make our cities healthy.

Nature conservation:
South Africa has a lot of parks in which wild plants and animals are protected. But there are more places that should be protected. In the past some people were forcibly removed to set up these parks. The local people did not get jobs or money from the parks. They were not allowed to use the natural resources in the parks.

Parks and game reserves can make jobs for local people. They can give local people a place to sell arts and crafts. Rural people can build places for tourists to stay. Rural communities should take part in the management of game reserves next to them.

Looking after our children:
The  apartheid  government did not worry about making sure that there will be enough natural resources left for our children. We must live in such a way that there will still be natural resources left for people to use in the future. We must make sure that natural resources are shared among all South Africans in the present. We must also make sure that there is enough for future generations.





