The Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism is actively participating in this year's Imbizo Focus Week to be held on 13 March 2003 to 6 April 2003. Imbizo Focus Week is one of the many community outreach programmes that the Department is actively involved with this year.

Imbizo programme was initiated by government in 2001 as a period of intensified activity where all spheres of government, national, provincial and local, interact with the people across the country.

Imbizo has been widely acknowledged as an effective forum for enhancing dialogue and interaction between government and people. It provides an opportunity for government to communicate its programme of action and the progress being made. It promotes participation of the public in the programmes to improve their lives.

The theme for this Imbizo Focus Week is "Imbizo. Build a People's Contract for a Better South Africa!" This expresses the emphasis government places on the need to work together, in partnership, to ensure that we sustain and speed up progress to better the lives of all South Africans. The programme brings particular emphasis on poverty alleviation a priority of government's priority.

Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism Imbizo Calendar

Date	Visit	Official	Description of visit
31 March 2003	Mogale City, Gauteng	Deputy Minister Rejoice Mabudafhasi	The visit to Mogale City will include: A visit to a paper/plastic and bottle recycling project. Visit to food gardens poverty relief projects. Viewing unrehabilitated mine dump-pollution.
01 April 2003	Bronkhorspruit, Gauteng	Minister Valli Moosa	Visit to the plastic Bag factory
01 April 2003	Damdoryn, 3km from Hartebeespoort Dam	Deputy Minister Rejoice Mabudafhasi	The walkabout will include A visit to the hwkers currently operating on the road shoulders of Damdoryn to launch the development of the new Damdoryn Market
01 April 2003	Maabeskraal, North West Province	Deputy Minister Rejoice Mabudafhasi	The visit will include A walkabout in glass recycling projects that employ women. Meeting with the Community
02 April 2003	Western Cape, Veldsdrift	Director General, Dr Crispian Olver	The Director General will: Conduct an anti-poaching operation Conduct a Media Briefing
03 April 2003	Blackheath, Western Cape	Senior departmental officials	A visit to a bottle recycling project which empowers local community members and pupils from local schools

More details on the calendar of events can be found on the Department's Calendar of Events Page

Media statements