PREFERENTIAL PROCUREMENT

• Revised regulations reflecting the requirements of the February 2022 Constitutional Court ruling have been gazetted. They will be in force from 16 January 2023.

 

DRAFT WHITE PAPER ON THE SUSTAINABLE USE OF SOUTH AFRICA’S BIODIVERSITY

• The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment has gazetted a revised draft White Paper for public comment. The original version was published in July but has since been finetuned to reflect some of the input received. According to the department’s media statement on the revised version, it is now in line with:
  • section 24 of the Constitution (the right to an environment that is not harmful to health or well-being, and protected for the benefit of present and future generations)
  • all relevant legislation, and
  • ratified international agreements.

 

CAPE VULTURES AND ONSHORE WIND ENERGY GENERATION FACILITIES

• The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment has gazetted a protocol:
  • prescribing the assessment and reporting requirements to be met when determining the collision risk potential associated with developing onshore wind energy generation facilities, and
  • applicable within and outside all renewable energy development zones.

 

ENVIRONMENTAL AUTHORISATION

• Amendments have been made to the 2018 regulations, affecting:
  • the development of large-scale electricity transmission and distribution facilities, and
  • procedures to be followed when undertaking certain ‘listed and/or ‘specified’ activities in geographically strategic locations.

 

ONLINE INTERMEDIATION PLATFORMS MARKET INQUIRY

• A notice[S1]  has been gazetted allowing the Competition Commission until 18 February 2023 to complete the inquiry and publish a report.

 

MERCHANT SHIPPING

• Amendments have been made to the regulations on collision and distress signals:
  • focusing on compliance-related auditing, and
  • informed by the 1972 International Maritime Organisation Convention.

 

BUILT ENVIRONMENT

• The South African Council for the Project and Construction Management Professions has gazetted a notice calling for public comments on:
  • a draft policy for continuous professional development, and
  • draft guidelines on the policy for professional fees.
• Input should be made using forms available on the council’s website.

 

Prepared by Pam Saxby

---