Water and Environmental Affairs Minister Buyelwa Sonjica said the funds would be used for cleaning and greening projects. "South Africa must act now to combat climate change. Investing in the ecological infrastructure of this country is as important as building schools, roads, hospitals and houses," she said.

“In the first phase of Project Buyesila, 10 eco-towns modelled on sustainability would be created as a legacy project. Funds would be equally divided among the proposed pilot sites,” the minister said.

Sonjica said the project would compliment the municipal street cleaning efforts, clear up all hot spots, establish landfill sites where there are not any. It would also see the cleaning and rehabilitation of dump sites and encourage recycling as part of efforts to stop the wanton dumping of rubbish material.

The minister said biodiversity was not about a few endangered species, but sustaining all ecosystems that underpinned service delivery. She said the restoration of degraded ecosystems would increase the ability of ecosystems to withstand climate change and adapt naturally.