PRESS RELEASE
28 APRIL 2004

APPOINTMENT OF MARTHINUS VAN SCHALKWYK TO MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENTAL
AFFAIRS AND TOURISM



Ten years into South Africa's democracy has witnessed the change of the
concept of environment from one of conservation issues to a much broader
concept that deals not only with the green issues (nature, conservation,
etc) but also the brown issues (pollution, waste, socio-economic issues
etc.) of environment. The ex Minister Valli Moosa and his Deputy Rejoice
Mabudafasi played an influential role in ensuring that development and
poverty alleviation are key issues when dealing with the environment.

It is our hope that our new Minister, Marthinus Van Schalkwyk will embrace
this position and continue the work of his predecessors since 1994, in
trying to balance the still one-sided perception of environment as being
about nature conservation.

Ferrial Adam
Research, Media and Corporate Accountability
groundWork, Friends of the Earth, South Africa
P.O. Box 2375, Pietermaritzburg, 3200, South Africa
Tel: +27 (0) 33 342 5662
Fax: +27 (0) 33 342 5665
Cell: +27 (0) 84 484 3387
E-mail: ferrial@groundwork.org.za or team@groundwork.org.za