Media & News

Media Release: SANParks goes green on World Environment Day

Back to all news

Date: 5th June 2012

People across the globe are celebrating the World Environment Day today, 5 June 2012, under the theme "Green Economy: Does it Include You?.”

South African National Parks (SANParks) has joined the global movement in a series of events across all its national parks. 

This according to General Manager: Media Liaison and Stakeholder Relations at SANParks, Reynold Thakhuli who said “for the purposes of the Green Economy Initiative, United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) has developed a working definition of a green economy as one that results in improved human well-being and social equity, while significantly reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities”.

He said a green economy can be thought of as one which is low carbon, resource efficient and socially inclusive. This is in line with SANParks vision of connecting to society. 

SANParks head office at Groenkloof National Park held a presentation on Green Jobs that have been created at SANParks as part of the Working for Water projects. These programmes fall under the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) aimed at providing poverty and income relief through temporary work for the unemployed to carry out socially useful activities. 

SANParks employs 3,650 on a permanent basis. With temporary staff, employment increases to 4,600 jobs. SANParks EPW Programme employs an average of 5,300 people per annum. Each person day is recorded and counted and over the 10 years 5,7 million person days were worked in the SANParks projects.

The EPW Programme in SANParks has grown from a R25 million allocation in 2001/2 to R195 million in 2011/12.  Today, all national parks benefit from the EPWP. Antoinette van Wyk, General Manager: Infrastructure & Special Projects SANParks said “the majority of jobs we have created are green.” Under the EPWP, SANParks has nine different projects. 

“The three major objectives of this project are biodiversity management, strategic infrastructure development and social investment,” said van Wyk. “We want to create temporary jobs, train beneficiaries and create and use SMME’s.” SANParks implementation model of EPWP projects extends beyond this and includes direct community investment on important social concerns, community needs and development of opportunities. 

Join SANParks in this bold initiative. Green Economy: Does it Include You”?  

Working for Water Employees: Working for Water is part of the Expanded Public Works Programme which promotes Green Jobs.

World Environment Day: SANParks staff join in the celebrations for World Environment Day 2012.

Issued by:
SANParks

Media enquiries:
Gabrielle Venter
Manager: Media & Stakeholder Relations, SANParks,
Tel: (012) 426 5065, Cell: 083 825 9735
email: gabrielle.venter@sanparks.org

Reynold Thakhuli
GM: Media Liaison & Stakeholder Relations, SANParks,
Tel: (012) 426 5170, Cell: 073 373 4999
email: rey.thakhuli@sanparks.org