Minister of Environmental Affairs 2013 Budget Speech & Responses by ANC, DA and IFP
Briefing
28 May 2013
Minister of Environmental Affairs, Ms Bee Molewa, gave her Budget Vote Speech on the 28 May 2013
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Honourable Chairperson of this session;
Honourable Ministers;
Honourable Deputy Minister, Rejoice Mabudafhasi, MP
Honourable Members of the Portfolio Committee;
Honourable Members of Parliament;
Distinguished Chairpersons and Chief Executives of Public Entities;
Distinguished guests;
Ladies and gentlemen.
Introduction
We deliver this budget vote for the Environment Portfolio while also preparing ourselves for the end of the second decade of our democracy.
Next year’s general elections will not only confirm our solid commitment to a democratic order, but they will happen in the year our democracy will be turning twenty.
Next month we will also celebrate World Environment Day, a day that allows us an opportunity to pause and reflect on the work done in our sector and how we are able to collaborate with other facets of our society.
We will also remind ourselves of the centrality of people, the economy and environmental preservation. This is what is called the three pillars of sustainable development, and part of the slogan we used during RIO plus 20, namely: planet, people and prosperity. None of these three can exist without the others.
The Basotho speaking people of our country tell us that “Noka e tlatswa ke dinokana” which means that the river is swelled by streams.
Our challenge as a nation which is a developing state is to find a healthy balance between the three pillars - economic growth, social development and environmental sustainability. In pursuit of South Africa's developmental pathway, a shared vision and common goal of sustainability has emerged as a strong driver of industry values as well as societal behaviour.
As a nation we adopted the National Development Plan, which maps out the vision of the country for the 20 years ahead. As the environment sector, we will implement related aspects of the priority areas in this Plan that deal with sustainable development.
Our rich environmental and natural resource-endowment such as productive land, clean and sufficient water, healthy air, beautiful landscapes, vibrant cities, towns, villages and cultures; (the very foundation for our inclusive sustainable economic and social development) must not only benefit us today but also our children and grandchildren.
Without clean water, there is no life; without the protection of plant and animal life, there is no tourism, no benefit to rural communities through the development of sustainable utilisation projects, and no jobs.
Noka e tlatswa ke dinokana.
Ecological infrastructure
Our ecological infrastructure is nature’s equivalent of built infrastructure. It includes our mountain catchments, wetlands and coastal dunes, and is increasingly being recognised for its importance to service delivery in both the rural and urban contexts.
However, this has not always been recognised as such, largely because the goods and services provided by ecological infrastructure have to date been freely available in relative abundance. Land degradation and climate change, however, are rapidly undermining the world’s ecological infrastructure and its ability to support sustainable service delivery.
The National Development Plan reminds us of the escalating costs of maintaining built infrastructure in the face of increasing natural disasters, as well as the rising costs of delivering clean water to communities. This suggests that the value of biodiversity assets and ecological infrastructure now urgently needs to be understood by those sectors facilitating the implementation of this Plan.
In support of this, the South African National Biodiversity Institute – SANBI - is spearheading an innovative programme of work on ecological infrastructure analysis, inclusive of costing of our natural capital. With this body of knowledge we will be empowered to make informed development-related decisions.
This will be particularly beneficial at a municipal level, but also in aid of water security and disaster risk management. Investment in the management of our ecological infrastructure will secure and build natural capital in South Africa, and will provide a foundation for building climate resilient economies and create jobs.
We have now developed initiatives to support effective decision-making in programmes such as the Presidential Strategic Integrated Projects or SIP’s. We do this through the strategic information and decision-making support tools that have already been established, like the Biodiversity Geographical Information System amongst other innovations.
True to our commitment in our Budget Speech last year, we celebrated the International Day for Biodiversity this year by launching the Biodiversity and Mining Guideline jointly with the mining sector.
Oceans and Coast
South Africa has not fully exploited the economic, commercial, industrial or large scale livelihood dependency on the oceans surrounding our country. Geographically, our country is centrally positioned between the East and West trade routes. Opportunities for ship support industry and ports enjoy a healthy market. South Africa, however, has no large bulk commercial ships on its national ships register.
South Africa has an abundance of terrestrial natural and marine living resources, which makes us well placed to exploit the blue economy that our location provides. More recently countries that have invested in ocean research and engineering have appreciated the development advantage that can be accessed through oceans. In this regard, our Green Paper on policy for the National Environmental Management of the Oceans was submitted to Cabinet last year for approval to publish for comments. At present we are working on the comments received and we plan to re-submit to Cabinet for final approval.
This policy was generally well-received with comments highlighting that the oceans have the potential for many new areas of investment and development and therefore the Departments need to work together in the management and sustainable use of the oceans environment.
In March this year I led a South African delegation to a Ministerial segment of the Benguela Current Commission which culminated in the signing of the Benguela Current Convention in Benguela, Angola. The three countries making up the BCC – South Africa, Angola and Namibia – are committed to common regional goals, above national interests, to promote the long-term conservation, protection, rehabilitation, enhancement and sustainable use of the Benguela Current Large Marine Ecosystem.
Noka e tlatswa ke dinokana
Working together we can do more for our environment.
Climate change
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’s CoP18 Conference was held in Doha, Qatar late last year. This secured the Durban legacy with an outcome that concluded the necessary provisions to give effect to a second commitment period under the Kyoto Protocol, including legal, operational, ambition and environmental integrity considerations.
The implication of these outcomes for South Africa is our continued active and strategic engagement in the full implementation of the Durban and Doha decisions. Particular among these is to facilitate the implementation of urgent Climate Action Now, as this process will inevitably inform the legal outcome being negotiated for the period beyond 2020.
This negotiation is focused on the further development and operationalisation of the Durban and Doha decisions in a manner that gives effect to the principles of the Convention, particularly common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, as well as on-going political issues such as Equity to Sustainable Development, Intellectual Property Rights and Unilateral Trade Measures.
Key elements include institutional arrangements for finance and technology to enable meaningful mitigation and adaptation action by Developing Countries; pre-2020 mitigation ambition by all Developed Countries; elaborating the concept of comparable effort of mitigation commitments by developed countries not participating in the second commitment period under the Kyoto Protocol; and operationalising the agreed transparency arrangements for mitigation by developed countries and developing countries.
Other CoP18 decisions included the completion of negotiations on a new Legal Outcome under the Convention by 2015, which is to come into effect from 2020. Careful analysis of the changing political landscape is needed to ensure that South Africa is well placed within a political alliance that would best serve our national interests. Due consideration of the impact that the broader Post-2015 Development Agenda process will have on the climate change process, as well as the prominent role that climate change will continue to play in all sustainable development debates, is also required.
Ladies and gentlemen you will recall that South Africa has adopted a Climate Change Response Policy. Implementation of this policy and our global commitment to Green House Gas emission reduction is progressing well and we will finalise our emission reduction objectives and carbon budget approach for each sector to enable the transition to a low carbon economy.
The policy implementation actions and activities include the analysis of mitigation potential in key economic sectors as the basis for the establishment of Desired Emission Reduction Outcomes or what is called DEROs, and defining the optimal mix of measures for achieving those DEROs, with greatest benefit and least cost to the economy.
They also include developing a set of long term adaptation scenarios for key sectors, on the basis of a set of locally relevant climate scenarios that would inform an integrated approach to planning and implementation of South Africa’s adaptation response. In addition, it requires developing a national monitoring and evaluation system that tracks South Africa’s transition to a lower carbon and climate-resilient economy and society.
The South African Weather Service’s collaborations with organisations like the Water Research Commission has enabled SAWS formulation of strategies aimed at ensuring that, as a weather-ready nation, proactive measures are invented aimed at reducing the vulnerability and exposure of rural communities to increased weather and climate disasters.
Noka e tlatswa ke dinokana.
Working together we can do more for our environment.
The development of a management strategy for environmental impact assessment on integrated permitting system to address key concerns and constraints within the current environmental impact management system are well underway.
We must acknowledge the good work done with the Department of Energy in processing all the applications for renewable energy. Up to 25 000 megawatts of wind and solar projects have been authorised for the various parts of the country to date. This is far more than the original quota for the first three rounds of the bidding programme. The quota that set by the Department of Energy was 3 750 megawatts.
Honourbale Members, we processed more than double the amount of EIA we normally process in a single year.
Presidential strategic integrated projects (SIPS)
In order to facilitate and support accelerated implementation of the sustainable development initiatives, particularly the Strategic Infrastructure Programme, a streamlined environmental authorisation process has been introduced. Other tools, such as Strategic Environment Assessments are being developed to further accelerate authorisations while ensuring sound environmental impact management in line with sustainable development principles.
We are part of this PICC and we are expected to provide regular feedback in terms of the processing of applications related to the SIPS. A number of projects have been identified through the review of Environmental Impact Assessment. Among the projects listed are plans to develop and integrate rail, road and water infrastructure to not only unlock coal, platinum, palladium, chrome and other minerals in the northern parts of the country, but also plans to unlock the potential of the Eastern Cape and North West. We are looking particularly at renewable energy resources to beef up power transmission. All projects will be subjected to rigorous feasibility assessments with only the most cost-effective projects being pursued.
It is crucial that the department is equipped with the necessary capacity to help manage timeframe compliance, avoid costly errors, eliminate frustrations associated with the review of these projects and eradicate obstacles that give rise to perceptions that our Environmental Impact Assessments are responsible for delays in infrastructure development.
We aim to provide an integrated, more streamlined process for major infrastructure projects throughout the assessment process. In line with this approach we are pro-actively engaging the respective Strategic Infrastructure Project Coordinators, in addition to our current initiatives with SOE’s and SOC’s, in order to provide support and guidance in terms the requisite EIA legislative requirements and the process to be followed.
Sustainable Development and Green Economy
In line with our commitments to the successful outcomes of the 2011 and 2012 Climate Change, Desertification, Biodiversity, Rio+20 Sustainable Development Summit meetings, where the international community firmly set Sustainable Development and a Green growth as an apex priority. We have also prioritised South Africa’s transition to a sustainable, job-creating, low-carbon and inclusive green economy.
We have begun the introduction of the Green Economy with the utilisation of our Green Funds which we announced last year. Through our Implementing Agency, the DBSA, funds have already been allocated through the first window to projects that proved to be sustainable and are mainly in the alternative energy sector.
The success of our efforts made thus far will be reflected in the 2012 South African Environmental Outlook Report to be published this year. The report will provide the analysis of our State of Environment covering South Africa’s land resources, ecosystems and biodiversity, inland water systems, oceans and coasts, energy, air quality, climate change and waste.
Early indications are that while we have made progress towards sustainably managing our environmental resources in the process of transitioning to a low-carbon green economy, many challenges still remain.
Early this year, we launched the zero emission pure electric Green Cars for the Nation as a national Pilot Programme. The department had to demonstrate government commitment to the reduction of carbon emissions that are chiefly responsible for climate change.
The environmental challenges experienced in different regions of the world represent not only a significant and historic challenge to our generation, but also an opportunity for change. Next month we will also launch the South Africa Green Economy Modelling Report.
The report, commissioned by UNEP at our request, will be a useful contribution to supporting the vision and leadership of South Africa in paving the way towards a green and inclusive economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication in South Africa.
We will ensure that all interventions we develop and all studies we conduct are aligned with the National Development Plan’s target for job creation that is set at 11 million jobs by 2030.
Noka e tlatswa ke dinokana
Our green economy interventions must support this roadmap to ensure that our programmes positively contribute to this target and centrally position our sector as a hub of job creation, whilst not deviating from our mandate of protecting the integrity of our environment.
The sustainable use of indigenous biological resources is fundamental to the development of South Africa’s economy. The bioprospecting and the hunting industries particularly, are also integral to our contribution to sustainable development and green jobs in South Africa.
Recent estimates have placed the bio-prospecting industry’s contribution to the GDP at 2.1 billion Rands, which, if combined, places the contribution of the direct utilisation of indigenous biological resources at 8.3 billion Rands. In the previous financial year, the entire value chain of the hunting industry contributed some 6.2 billion Rands to the South African GDP.
We will embark on a dedicated programme to provide support to the hunting and bio-prospecting industries to promote South Africa as the destination of choice for hunting, and as one of the most resource-rich country to contribute to bio-prospecting.
Last year we undertook a concerted effort to build human capital in the biodiversity sector. Working with SANBI, through our programme Groen Sebenza, we have partnered with 33 organisations to create a cadre of 800 confident and competent people to work at all levels of government and in the private sector.
This launch will form part of our Youth Month celebrations as well as our celebration of Environment Month.
We must challenge the notion that there necessarily is a trade-off to be made between faster economic growth and the conservation of our environment. The myth that there is conflict between economic development and environmental health must be challenged and debunked.
Good environmental management coupled with integrated development planning will allow us to build a low carbon economy that supports resilient ecosystems and economies. Healthy and intact ecosystems give us more options for responding to climate change, alleviating poverty and building a green economy.
We are committed to improve the socio-economic benefits within the environmental sector, by creating 65 494 work opportunities which will yield 34 019 Full-Time Equivalents Jobs. The targeted designated groups are women, youth and people living with disabilities.
We have accessed a total amount of 2.39 billion Rands from the Expanded Public Works Programme for our Environmental Programmes in the new financial year, which will boost the job-creation objective of Government, and secure vital environmental benefits from the work to be done.
The jobs will not be created in isolation to the department’s mandate; hence the Working for Water, Working on Fire and the Environmental Protection and Infrastructure programmes, through their various sub-programmes, will also deliver environmental outputs such as rehabilitating 105 wetlands, cleaning more than 2 100 kilometres of coastline, rehabilitation of estuaries and dunes, construction of boardwalks to facilitate access, planting trees, building of waste buy-back centres, removing invasive alien plants, provision of infrastructure to facilitate conservation and rehabilitating thousands of hectares of land this year. The jobs created will be coupled with skills development where-in 184 263 accredited training person days will be achieved.
During this financial year, we aim to spend just over 1.13 billion Rands on the Working for Water and associated programmes, whilst Working on Fire will get 406 million Rands, and the Environmental Protection and Infrastructure Programmes will get 817 million Rands.
Forestry South Africa calculated that the damage to the forestry industry through the major fires is worth about 3, 6 Billion Rands, but this could have doubled had it not been for the Working on Fire partnership.
We would like to improve our partnerships with the farming community to strengthen our ability to respond more efficiently.
The biggest budget allocations are again going towards Eastern Cape and SANParks projects. I should mention that the SANParks budget includes the funding for the Eco-Furniture Factories.
Honourable members, as we prepare to celebrate Youth Month, I would like to re-emphasise our concern over the growing number of unemployed young people. As we begin the third decade of our democracy, the ability of our country to upscale a conducive environment for young South Africans to be absorbed into active economic participation, is of vital importance.
As part of our environmental sector contribution towards addressing the challenges of youth unemployment in the country, we have initiated two programmes which encourage better environmental management practices within our communities.
Firstly, the Youth Environmental Services (YES) Programme will benefit 2700 young people over the next three years. Upon exiting the programme these young people will be placed in either permanent employment or further training institutions. Honourable members, we will launch this programme next month as part of our celebration of Youth and Environment Month.
Secondly, we will also, as we committed in our Speech last year, be launching the Youth Jobs in Waste Programme, in June.
This project is expected to create 330 job opportunities in waste in the Free State and 326 in the North West. The project, once rolled out nationally, is intended to provide 3 577 young people with job opportunities in waste management and related entrepreneurship.
In addition to these youth employment initiatives, is the introduction of Environmental Monitors to deal with environmental threats in protected areas, including the scourge of rhino-poaching nationally. Through this programme, 1 000 young people will be employed to strengthen the fight against rhino poaching and other environmental challenges.
Compliance
To ensure compliance with our environmental laws, there has been further expansion of the Green Scorpions’ capacity at local authority level since the first protocol was signed with the Limpopo provincial government in February 2012.
Since then most provinces have made progress in relation to signing these protocols with the relevant local authorities. To date 48 Environmental Management Inspectors have been designated in different local authorities across the country and it is anticipated that in the next few months this number will increase considerably following the various training initiatives that are being undertaken. There will however need to be focused efforts in Eastern Cape, Northern Cape and the Free State where implementation protocols have not yet been signed with any of the local authorities.
I am encouraged that the department has been given tremendous support by our partners in fighting environmental crime. On behalf of the department, I would like to thank the SAPS, SANDF, the Department of Justice, to mention but a few. In particular, the Courts that are sending a strong message to those who violate environmental laws shall not do so with impunity.
The department is also in the process of developing a comprehensive compliance and enforcement strategy that will provide us with a gap analysis enabling us to use our limited resources in the most effective way that ensures compliance with our legislation.
The National Waste Management Strategy continues to contribute to the creation of varied industries that are deliberately structured to deliver sustainable livelihoods. At present three District Municipalities in the Northern Cape, two in Gauteng and two in Mpumalanga are being assisted with the development of the Integrated Waste Management Plans to ensure that the planning around provision and management of waste complies with the requirements of the Waste Act. We will assist a further five municipalities this year.
The successful integration of the Water Use and Waste Licences for waste disposal facilities is an example of a successful integration of licences.
We will continue with the project of reducing the number of unlicensed waste disposal sites. In this financial year, the department will finalise the norms and standards for remediation of contaminated land, storage of waste, flaring of landfill gas, and waste classification and management regulations.
All these tools will contribute in easing regulatory requirements for our stakeholders and promote the implementation of the waste management hierarchy as required by the National Waste Management Strategy
War against Rhino poaching
Honourable Members, this year the National Environmental Management Biodiversity Act is 9 years old.
As we mark the 9th anniversary of NEMBA, we are conducting an in-depth review to assess its impact at national and local government level. In the process, we will consider to include and additional chapter on the sustainable utilisation of indigenous biological resources.
The aim of these legislative amendments is to intensify the biodiversity sustainable development policy of South Africa through coordination and strengthening of existing industries within the biodiversity sphere. In addition, the amendment of legislation seeks to ensure increased contribution of biodiversity economic development initiatives to the rural economy through creating new industries for sustainable livelihoods in the context of new entrants to the biodiversity economy.
The Department will also be looking at some legislative amendments to tighten regulatory gaps in the National Environmental Management Act.
The National Environmental Management Laws First Amendment Bill that aimed at strengthening the regulatory and enforcement provisions to prevent abuse of the hunting permitting system is at an advanced stage in the Parliamentary process.
Once promulgated, the Bill will make provision that a person who is involved in an illegal restricted activity, but who does not physically carry out the restricted activity can also be found guilty of an offence.
Presently, professional hunters, hunting outfitters and trainers only register in individual provinces and if they are non-compliant in one province, they can apply to operate or continue to operate in another province.
To address this loophole, the Bill compels the national registration of professional hunters, hunting outfitters and trainers involved in the hunting industry. In this way, action can be taken against those who facilitate the carrying out of illegal restricted activities by their clients.
The Bill further prescribes that all specimens in transit through the country must be accompanied by the necessary documentation. This important provision will assist in addressing the movement of illegal specimens.
Besides strengthening the regulatory and enforcement provisions in the hunting industry, the Bill also allows the Minister to limit the number of permits that can be issued in order to protect a species; and provides for an issuing authority to suspend, defer or refuse a permit.
The diversity of life we find in South Africa’s natural heritage is as rich and wondrous as our many languages, cultures and peoples. Our expansive landscapes, and the species that we find in them, share the same ancient historic roots as every South African.
In March this year, we were part of the 2 000 delegates from 178 countries at the 16th Conference of Parties of the Convention on the International Trade of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in Thailand.
It was there that we successfully offered to host the 17th CITES CoP in 2016. Planning towards the hosting of this important meeting will start this year and, more importantly, strategic engagements will take place to prepare for the CoP to ensure successful negotiations on matters relating to sustainable utilisation, including the adoption of a decision-making mechanism for trade in ivory and a potential proposal for trade in rhino horn.
Honourable Members, as you may know, South Africa is the third most mega bio-diverse country in the world. Managing such diverse people, culture, landscape, biological resources and economy requires a fine balance.
Rationalisation of the fragmented legislation relating to protected areas is progressing at national level. The final aspect of the National Parks Act, 1976 has been repealed. The schedule of national parks is now published in terms of the National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act, 2003. In addition, a review of the legislation relating to world heritage sites and marine protected areas has been initiated.
We are working with provinces to improve the management effectiveness of South Africa’s state-run protected areas is a concern. Provincial management authorities have reported successful interventions increasing the national average to 30% effective by the end of 2012, still way below target. The challenge remains filling vacant posts and inadequate operational budgets. In this regard, MINTECH has been directed to work on a national as well as norms and standards finalisation.
On the international front, we are intensifying the collaborative law enforcement effort to combat this increasing scourge of rhino poaching as well as international cooperation with recipient and transit countries such as Vietnam, Thailand and China. To date we have signed Memorandums of Understanding with Vietnam and China and we aim to sign similar agreements with Mozambique and other Asian countries.
The reality of rhino poaching, particularly in the Kruger National Park (KNP), continues to be a major challenge for the country, especially when considering prevalent financial constraints. This situation is fuelled by a thriving black market trade in rhino horn.
For this reason, the fight against rhino poaching continues to receive attention from my department and its public entities such as SANParks. To this end, the current rhino poaching challenge in the country has been elevated to the National Joints Security Committee where a National Joints Operational Instruction Strategy has been forwarded to all security structures for immediate implementation.
Furthermore, an amount of 75 million Rands has been allocated to SANParks for the purpose of combating this on-going poaching in the period of 2013/14 to 2015/16.
I am convinced that working together with our national security agencies, we should be able to strengthen the borders of the country to counter the avalanche of rhino poaching incursions from neighbouring countries.
The scourge of rhino poaching cannot be dealt with, without considering the worldwide increase in trans-boundary wildlife crimes.
During the past year the various national consultations with stakeholders by the Rhino Issue Manager process on the issues of rhino conservation, safety and security and rhino economics were held with a draft report from the RIM process presented to the Cabinet in February this year.
Prior to our departure to the CITES CoP we launched an international discussion on the future of South Africa’s rhino population, particularly the issue of legal trade in rhino horn, or not. Should such a proposal be adopted and the Government opt to table a proposal to CITES for the legalisation of the rhino horn trade as a jjkjmeans of addressing poaching, South Africa will recommend that this happen under very strictly controlled conditions.
Noka e tlatswa ke dinokana
I would like to thank the Deputy Minister, Ms Rejoice Mabudafhasi, the boards and staff of the public entities under the department, the Director General, Ms Nosipho Ngcaba and her team for the commitment they continue to show in the attainment of our strategic objectives.
I would also like to thank the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee, Advocate Johnny de Lange and the committee members for their support, guidance and robust engagements.
Thank you.
Budget Vote speech for the Department of Environmental Affairs by the Deputy Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs, Rejoice Mabudafhasi, National Assembly in Parliament
28 May 2013
Introduction,
A Kenyan proverb, regularly quoted by environmentalists states that: The world was not given to us by our parents, it was lent to us by our children. This means that all nations must strive for environmental sustainability in order for future generations to inherit a well preserved earth.
Environment is central to economic and social development, thus the emphasis of environmental sustainability and equitable transition to low carbon economy in the National Development Plan. Our policies promote community based environmental management which is an enabler towards sustainability. I am proud to report about the community based environmental programmes we have implemented last year.
Access and Benefit Sharing
South Africa is the 12th country in the world to ratify the Nagoya Protocol on Access Benefit Sharing. This ratification is a major step towards the sustainable development of the country’s green economy. It is also an indication of our commitment to the green economy, sustainable development and the use of our country’s natural resources for economic growth.
In terms of this Protocol, local benefit through capacity building, creation of community-based enterprise development and the awarding of bursaries to young people to further their education in the biodiversity conservation field. To date, 10 bio-prospecting permits have been issued.
During the 7th Pan-African Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) workshop held in Limpopo, we showcased a community based project which produces mosquito-repellent candles from the Fever Tree (Lippia javanica). This is our partnership project between our department, CSIR, National Traditional Healers, Maswanganyi and Mabunda communities in Giyani. A licensing agreement with Zollhaus International (Pty) Ltd to market the mosquito repellent candles, both nationally and internationally has been concluded.
The South African San Council and the Nama communities at Paulshoek and Nourivier in the Northern Cape benefited through partnership with HGH Pharmaceuticals on the local and international research on the Kanna (Sceletium tortosium) plant which is a mood enhancer product branded Elev8 in South Africa and Zembrin in the USA. We will continue to explore partnerships with the private sector.
Transformation in protected areas
The People and Parks continues to benefit local communities through access and benefit sharing such as harvesting of natural resources, access to graves, free access to protected areas for educational purposes, monetary pay-outs to claimants which result in reducing poverty eradication.
Through this programme we:
- Launched the national co-management framework which enables innovative governance by conservation authorities and local communities, enables active participation and decision making in the management of protected areas.
- Facilitated co-management agreements with the Nwanedi land claimants in Limpopo and the Songimvelo Community in Mpumalanga.
- Established business linkages to support community initiatives adjacent to protected areas and also encourage communities to establish cooperatives/small businesses to enable them to tender for jobs within protected areas.
- Procured goods and services amounting to R30 million from SMME’s within the 30 protected areas.
- 5852 jobs were created and 241 SMMEs were developed by Provinces and Management Authorities through funding obtained from Environmental Protection and Infrastructure Programme.
- 509 people from 15 protected areas benefited in the capacity building on the use of natural resources
The fifth People and Parks conference held in September underscored the importance of community involvement, frameworks and coordination structures in ensuring sustainability of the programme and enhancing rural development and green economy efforts.
The conference deliberated on the issue of resolving land claims backlog and outlining the areas of co-operation between government and communities. The department of Rural Development and Land Reform (DRDLR) has developed programme of action with specific time on settlement of land claims. The Chief Land Claims Commission committed to finalise five claims settlement in each province for 2013/14 financial year.
During this financial year we will capacitate 400 beneficiaries on the use of natural resources and Youth, women and people with disabilities. We will also continue promoting access for learners especially from disadvantaged background. 5 000 learners will be offered opportunity to access our National Parks.
Wetlands Programme
According to the National Biodiversity Assessment 2012, wetlands are the most threatened ecosystems in South Africa, 48% of wetlands are critically endangered and only 18% are protected This means that we need to make more effort in the conservation of our wetlands. However we are making remarkable progress.
UMngeni Vlei Nature Reserve is the 21st Wetland of International Importance as it has been designated a Ramsar site. It protects a significant portion of uMngeni River catchment area in KZN A total of R530 million has been invested in the rehabilitation of 906 wetlands. To date, the programme has provided 12 848 employment opportunities.
This year we celebrated the World Wetlands Day with the Kareedouw community in the Koukamma Local Municipality. We chose the Kromme River catchment which experienced dramatic floods in 2006 which resulted in heavy loss of life and property. Ten million has been invested to rehabilitation of this wetland. A total of 60 local people were employed. The Kromme River catchment supplies about 40% of Port Elizabeth’s water, via the Churchill Dam.
Game farming
Last year we held the first Hunting Indaba which was held in October 2012. An action plan was adopted which includes specific actions aimed at addressing four thematic areas, namely ecological impacts and benefits; economic impacts and benefits; community involvement and transformation; and legislative provisions.
The department is planning to host an annual Hunting Indaba as a way of engaging with key stakeholders in formulating a clear policy for the hunting sector. We will embark on a dedicated programme to provide support to the hunting and bio-prospecting industries to promote South Africa as the destination of choice for hunting, and as a mega diverse country that utilises its natural capital wisely. South Africa will host the first African Parliamentarian Dialogue on trade issues in biodiversity resources.
Working for Water – Eco Furniture Factory
Invasive alien species are a threat to our water resources, however we reuse them as raw materials to manufacture eco coffins, school desks, garden benches, chess tables, bedroom furniture, walking sticks etc.
To date we have established 3 eco factories which created a total of 493 jobs of which 52% is women and 37% youth. 250 desks from these factories were handed over to Boitumelo High School in Ficksburg Free State and another 250 to Maatla Primary School in Hoedspruit, Limpopo. We will establish 18 eco factories within 3 years which will create 160 jobs opportunities per factory.
Greening and open space management
Through our greening and open space management whose main purpose is to reverse environmental degradation, prevent illegal dumping as well as creation of recreational spaces for our communities whilst creating job and training opportunities. Recently we handed over the R14 million Eco-Parks in Mdantsane and Duncan village to Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality. One hundred and eighty six job opportunities were created during the implementation of this project.
Waste Management
We funded the Domestic Waste Collection Pilot Project in Mahikeng Local Municipality. The objectives of this Pilot Project are to reduce waste backlog, create employment opportunities and encourage the implementation of the 3 Rs namely; reduction, reuse and recycling.
Five waste collection trucks were procured, five contractors and 70 workers were appointed. Training was provided to both contractors and workers in order to capacitate them in areas of waste management and business management.
The waste collection service to 31 856 households has been carried out successfully. Furthermore through our working on waste programme we will continue to provide support to municipalities through construction of waste buy-back centres, material recovery facilities and other activities.
The Minister will launch ‘Youth Jobs in Waste project this year. This initiative will assist municipalities in delivering of efficient and effective waste services. The first phase will be implemented in Free State, North West, Kwazulu Natal, Limpopo and the Eastern Cape, creating approximately 1000 jobs for unemployed youth. During women’s month we will host the Women Mayor’s Dialogue aimed at encouraging them to champion waste management in their respective municipalities.
Marine Protected Areas
In order to protect our vulnerable coastline, we developed the Ocean Management Strategy developed to be implemented this year. South Africa declared the Prince Edward Islands a Marine Protected Area which makes the Islands, the first South African offshore MPA which contributing significantly to global initiatives towards protection of offshore and deep ocean areas.
The Prince Edward Islands MPA is intended to contribute to the protection of unique species, habitats and ecosystem processes. It will also be a scientific reference point for future management of the area including impact of climate change on the whole Southern Ocean. It will also contribute to integrated and ecologically sustainable management of marine resources of the area.
Weather Service
In January 2013, Vhembe district and north western parts of the Limpopo province, as well as parts of Mpumalanga were mostly affected by floods which swept away bridges, roads and fertile agricultural soil and also caused deaths and injuries in the areas. The Vhembe district was declared a disaster area.
Together with the South African Weather Service, we embarked on weather awareness road show. We also visited the Maluleke, Ramudzuli and Makhubele families in Mphego village who were left destitute by the catastrophic flooding. This road show was also rolled out in the Northern Cape. We will also visit Mpumalanga and other areas that are prone to weather disasters.
Public awareness and education
We handed over the R28.5 million Environmental Science Education Centre to the University of Limpopo which will offer environmental education and research to the students and surrounding communities. Jobs for local people were created during the implementation of this project.
Through the Kids and Parks programme a total number of 4 159 learners and 168 educators were enabled to have access to national parks. Another 5 000 learners have been targeted for the 2013/14 financial year.
The school based environmental education programme, implemented in collaboration with the Department of Basic Education continues. One hundred and fifty educators from KZN, Free State, Limpopo and North West benefitted on the accredited training through Fundisa for Change.
In this current financial year we will amend the existing educational resource materials to include water and environment entirely and to ensure alignment with the curriculum. A task team composed of senior officials from departments of Water, Environment and Basic Education has been established to execute this task.
Women in Environment
Last year we hosted the women in environment conference. In this current financial year we will develop the sector gender framework and programme of action
Air Quality
Last year we hosted the 7th annual Air quality Lekgotla in Rustenburg. The Lekgotla provides air quality officials from all spheres of government an opportunity to review the programme of action and share experiences. It also strengthens cooperation and collaboration between the three spheres of government (national, provincial and municipal) to improve the quality of air in the country.
We also launched the Waterberg-Bojanala Air Priority Area (WBPA) and the Waterberg-Bojanala Monitoring Network. The Waterberg-Bojanala Monitoring Network comprises three air quality monitoring stations bought by the Department of Environmental Affairs for the Priority Area in order to monitor and report on the status of air in the WBPA. The stations are situated in Lephalale, Thabazimbi and Mokopane. Community awareness programmes form part of this implementation, for example, the Clean Fires Campaign commonly known as Basa Nje Ngomagogo.
We will host 8th Annual Air Quality Governance Lekgotla to be held in Western Cape from 30 September - 02 October 2013 under the theme “Towards the First Decade of Unified and Sustainable Air Quality Governance in South Africa”
Conclusion
We are presenting this budget vote few days before Environmental Month under the theme: Think, Eat, Save. Our plan is intact, we will embark on various activities as we celebrate Environmental Month.
I wish to thank our Minister for providing exceptional leadership, chairperson and honourable members of the Portfolio Committee for the guidance in ensuring that we deliver on the mandate entrusted to us.
A big thanks to the Director-General and her team for the sterling work, the awards you received last year is recognition of your hard work. We are proud of you. I also want to thank our public entities, sister departments and all sector stakeholders for their active participation on environmental issues and unconditional support.
Thank you!
Speech by Hon Johnny De Lange during the Budget Vote Debate on Water Affairs and Environment
Honourable Chairperson,
Honourable Minister, Ednah Molewa, MP
Honourable Deputy Minister, Rejoice Mabudhafhasi, MP
Honourable Members,
Our Esteemed Environmental Sector family,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
May I extend to all present, on behalf of the Portfolio Committee on Water and Environmental Affairs (the Portfolio Committee), a warm welcome to this 2013 annual debate of the Budget Vote of the Department of Environmental Affairs (the Department).
I rise on this occasion on behalf of the African National Congress (the ANC) - and hopefully the Portfolio Committee - in unconditional support of this 2013/2014 Budget Vote allocation to the Department.
INTRODUCTION
Honourable Minister, as I said in the same debate last year ``the Department is mainly a policy-formulating Department on matters environmental, and, therefore, is comparatively small and well -functioning. The Department`s finances and financial management systems are in good health. For years now, the annual financial statements have been unqualified, with problem areas being insignificant and easily dealt with. Therefore, there is little to be gained by debating and belabouring the obvious.``
I, without hesitation and unconditionally, repeat and support this prognosis, for this year again. The Portfolio Committee`s comments on this year`s budget vote are contained in its report to be tabled in the ATC. [One or two new issues, contained in our report, require brief comment in this budget debate.]
THE SCOURGE OF RHINO POACHING
I spend the rest of my address on the scourge of rhino poaching which has gripped our African continent with a vengeance and threatens to decimate all the wonderful rhino conservation successes South Africa (and Namibia) has had with the bringing of the African Rhino from the brink of extinction, in the last century, only to witness their possible demise in this century. I start by laying out the relevant facts and figures.
Facts and statistics
The majority of Africa`s (Black and White) rhino`s (98.3%) continue to be conserved by four African range States: South Africa, Namibia, Kenya and Zimbabwe. [With smaller numbers in eight other African range States.] [Since 1991, White and Black Rhino numbers in Africa have increased by an average of 6.8% and 5.6%, respectively, per annum.] Today, of the 25460 African Rhinos alive, 5055 are Black Rhino`s (Diceros bicornis) and 20405 are White Rhino`s (Ceratotherium simum).
Conserving 83% of Africa`s rhinos and 75% of wild rhinos in the world, makes South Africa the premier rhino range State globally, with 18910 White Rhinos and 2044 Black Rhinos.
[Dr Knight presents a very insightful diagram, of the genesis of White Rhinos, in the last century, showing an increase in southern white rhino numbers since 1895 and the continental importance of South Africa in conserving over 93% of the White Rhino species (18910 of the 20405), at the end of 2012. The increase from only 20-50 in one population in 1895, to the existence of still only one population in the world in 1961, to over 20,405 southern white rhinos in the wild in almost 500 populations in Africa by the end of 2012 (with possibly another 750 odd in zoos and safari parks worldwide), according to Dr Knight, is one of the world`s great conservation success stories.
The genesis of the Black Rhino, shows similar, but also very different, trends than White Rhino`s, with the number declining 97.6% from 1960 - 1995, reaching an all time low of 2410 in 1995, but today the numbers have doubled to 5055. The Big Four range States for Black Rhino hold 96% of the population, with South Africa holding 40% with 2044 and Namibia 1750, Kenya 631 and Zimbabwe 422. The most perturbing statistic is that in the 1960`s there was 100 000 Black Rhinos in the rest of Africa (excluding South Africa), by the 70`s this decreased to 65 000, with a paltry 3150 still existing today in the rest of Africa.]
From 2006 through February 2012, a minimum of 2387 rhino were reportedly poached in 11 of the 12 rhino range States in Africa - only Uganda had no poaching incidents. Of this number of poached rhino, during this period, 1460 occurred in South Africa, 362 in Zimbabwe, 90 in Kenya and 67 in Mozambique, with other African range states showing small losses. Of the number poached in South Africa it can be seen that the basic pattern remains the same since 2007, namely the numbers poached increase rapidly each year, with 36 in 2006, 13 in 2007 (?% increase), 83 in 2008 (?% increase), 122 in 2009 (?% increase), 333 in 2010(?% increase), 448 in 2011(?% increase), 668 in 2012(?% increase) and 102 until February 2013(305 until 23 May 2013). [This means that since 2009, South Africa has continued to experience the highest absolute levels of poaching, and in 2010/11 these losses represented a 1.9% average annual mortality against the country`s historical (1992-2010) rhino population growth rate of +6.9% per annum.]
Despite the high and increasing levels of poaching, both rhino species have continued to increase in the wild, with White Rhino up from 17,475 in 2007 to (20,165 in 2010 and) 20405 in 2012 and Black Rhino up from 4,230 in 2007 to 5055 in 2012. But, worryingly, the continued escalation in population growth has slowed down. However, as Dr Knight has demonstrated, with a 6.9% and 5.6% average net growth of White and Black rhino`s, respectively, and with 2.2% losses to poaching and a small percentage to pseudo hunting, our national herd is still annually increasing; but we must remain vigilant not to allow the mortality rate to surpass natural births.
South Africa remains the major White and Black rhino range State, conserving 18,910 (93.2%) White Rhinos and 2044 (40%) Black Rhinos.
Today, in South Africa, we have 205 000 Km2 of game ranches, which amount to 16.8% of South Africa`s territory and covers an area of over three times as large as all the national and provincial protected conservation State areas, with 10% being occupied with Rhinos. This translates into our national herd of 20454 rhino`s (18 910 White Rhino`s and 2044 Black Rhinos), being conserved, on over 5 million hectares of land consisting some 395 private ranches and 36 State protected areas. Therefore, in South Africa, about 24% of Rhino populations are held on privately owned land, with 21% being in provincial reserves and 55% in SANparks. Astonishingly, this means that South Africa`s private conservation sector owns more rhino`s than the rest of Africa or the whole of Asia.
The paradigm of the problem
Since I became Chairperson of this Portfolio Committee, in November 2010, I can say without fear of contradiction, that no single issue in the environmental or water sectors has stirred the passions and emotions of conservationists and the public alike, than the massacre of our rhino population at an alarming ever increasing scale each year since 2006. Members of the PC are daily provided with advice and information on the issue. Some of this advice and debate is simplistic, narrowly defining the issue, single dimensional and often self serving depending on the interests of the sender. Some of the solutions forwarded to me vary from changing the definition of terrorism in our law to include rhino poaching, to deploying the army to guard rhino`s, to shooting poachers on sight, to poisoning the horn to kill the consumers and many others. I likewise, without fear of contradiction, can say that no other issue in the environmental sector in the last two years has been given as much attention, thought and action, by our government. our Ministry, our Department, our PC and myself as Chairperson, than to effectively and sustainably deal with this totally unacceptable slaughter of our rhino`s.
What has become crystal clear in the process is that there is no ``silver bullet``, no single action, no single country or organisation that is or has the solution to this very complex problem. We simply need to consider all options and best practises, at a global level, and implement as many as seem possible. So the first step to finding the right suite of management options is to accept that there is no single solution to this complex challenge facing the world, and particularly us. Accepting this is critical, and accepting the fact that conservation orthodoxy of the last few decades do not present a solution, even if it runs contrary to one`s conservation philosophy, or one`s economic orthodoxy or philosophy. We simply need to do things differently. What we have done in the past is simply not working. So we need a suite of new management options for our rhino population drawing from the best international practices and some new and innovative one`s in the area of wildlife conservation and viable and relevant economic models, and stop rehashing old and tired orthodoxies and philosophies, of both the conservation and economic variety, as they have brought us to this dangerous tipping point in the first place and are helpless in providing us with present solutions. And although the dialogue and the weighing of options has earnestly and vigorously, but maybe not always honestly, begun, we require an immediate and drastic escalation in timeframes and the finding of solutions must be escalated globally, albeit this should not hold South Africa back from doing whatever is possible to find solutions in the meantime. [And just so that I am not misunderstood, I agree with Dr. Knight when concluding:
"Whatever approaches are advocated, it should not detract from the fact that the conservation of rhinos still depends upon good-old fashioned protection, monitoring, biological management of free-ranging rhinos, adequate application of controls of illegal trade in consumer countries, with sufficient incentives and funding to successfully protect and grow rhino numbers and range into the future. Let us get this right, for the sake of rhinos."]
As support for my above analysis, prognosis and possible future approach, and to contextualise the vastness and complexities of the problem, at a global level, allow me to direct your attention to the Dahlberg report - which was funded by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF)- dealing with illicit wildlife trafficking, as follows:
".....There are many different estimates of the financial value of illicit wildlife trafficking worldwide, however, reliable estimates are hard to find, mainly because the trade is illegal. Unreported and unregulated fisheries trade alone has been estimated at between US$4.2 billion and US$9.5 billion per year, the value of the illegal timber trade as much as US$7 billion per year, and the illicit wildlife trafficking (excluding fisheries and timber) as between US$7.8 billion and US$10 billion per year. Combining these numbers, illicit wildlife trafficking (including timber and fisheries) comprises the fourth largest global illegal trade after narcotics, humans and counterfeit products..."
The report also contains the following views and conclusions:
"......Although illicit wildlife trafficking is a crime with wide security implications and has well documented links to other forms of illegal trafficking, the financing of rebel groups, corruption and money laundering, the issue is primarily seen as an environmental issue, which puts it low on governments` agendas.
Internationally, blame for the issue is passed back and forth between source and consumer countries; and there is a lack of collaboration, coordination and accountability between the two.
Demand is driven by consumer trends but there is little market insight into the consumer habits of the emerging middle class in key demand markets such as Asia.
Supply-side enforcement efforts have tended to focus on rangers in protected areas. This approach has been sporadic and underinvested, and it has often neglected improved criminal investigation, prosecution and coordination both nationally (for example, in the areas of trade, justice and commerce) and internationally.
The current increase in poaching shows that investment in frontline protection is necessary to halt immediate extinction.
Simultaneously, a systemic approach from source to the kingpins, to the consumers, needs to be implemented. It is time to change the approach to fighting illicit wildlife trafficking by creating the right incentives for all stakeholders to make the issue a priority...... [........Based on the findings from this study, WWF (and its global wildlife trade programme, TRAFFIC), urges governments to acknowledge that the current global approach to fighting illicit wildlife trafficking is failing because governments do not give the issue high enough priority and have not succeeded in implementing an effective response, at either a national or an international level. The absence of an effective response hinders social and economic development, including potential economic loss for governments, and has direct consequences on the environment as well as national and international security.].........WWF and TRAFFIC calls upon governments to take immediate action to recognize the threat posed by illicit wildlife trafficking to their own sovereignty and the need to treat this crime equally and in coordination with efforts to halt other forms of illegal trafficking, corruption and money laundering. The issue must be addressed by multiple ministries (and I can add countries) in a coordinated manner."
Initiatives of government in the last few years
In South Africa, we have to a some extent heeded these advices in the Dahlberg report and have in the last two and a half years, in an integrated and coordinated manner across Ministries, provincial governments and other stake holders, embarked on many and varied actions, programmes and activities, to address this scourge. Due to time constraints, I, today, do not deal with any of these initiatives.[Summary of activities]
CITES trade ban on legally selling rhino horn and the existence of an underground "Black Market" selling illegal rhino horn
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), which is made up of 175 countries, banned International trade in rhino horn in 1977. Since 1977, at least three or four rhino subspecies have become extinct in the wild. Of the world`s five rhino species, only two have increased in number in the wild, two have decreased drastically and one remains on the brink of extinction. South Africa and Namibia, as rhino range States, stand out as success stories, whilst in almost all other range States, rhino numbers are down, since 1977. While well-intentioned, this trade ban on legally selling rhino horn, seems not to have saved any species or subspecies of rhino, whilst succeeding to drive the illegal selling of rhino horn underground, creating a lucrative and well-functioning, illegal, underground, `Black Market`, which is a haven for organised crime, diverting vast sums of possible conservation funds into the hands of criminals.
Therefore, the Portfolio Committee views the existence of a lucrative, rapidly- growing, underground "Black Market", illegally trading in rhino horn, as the elephant in the room, when discussing solutions to the massacre of our rhino`s. In the PC`s view, priority number one must be for the international wildlife conservation community to destroy or at least seriously debilitate this "Black Market" and replace it with a strictly regulated legal market mechanism.
Understandably, as gleaned from the Rhino Manager Report (RIM report) overseen by Mavuso Msimang, which I extensively borrow from, discussions on trade and commerce as conservation tools results in predictable heated debates. Some view the lifting of the ban on trade in rhino horn as the panacea that would end poaching and save the rhino from otherwise inevitable extinction. This view is supported by market theorists who argue that in a market where rhino horn could be traded freely, market forces would automatically drive horn prices down, obviating the need for syndicates to face risks associated with poaching. Those opposing this view argue that there is no evidence to indicate that prices could decrease and that it is more likely that demand, being legitimized, would increase and thus exacerbate the plight of the rhino.
Regardless of the position one takes, the data suggest that the banning of legal open trade in rhino horn has not resulted in reduced demand for the horn and has thus not helped the objective of saving the rhino from imminent extinction. Escalation in the slaughter of rhino is proof of this. Consumers simply do not believe that rhino horn has no medicinal value. Using increasingly sophisticated means, poaching syndicates have capitalized on the CITES ban to supply what appears to be a resurgent market demand. It is therefore crucial that possibilities of legalising the trade in rhino horn, within well-defined and restricted parameters, are investigated through the development of appropriate models.
It seems abundantly obvious to me, as remarked by Brian Child, that:
Rhino horn trade has been banned for 35 years (since 1977), yet
rhinos are still highly threatened, and surely it is time to devise new approaches.
Legalising rhino horn trade for South Africa is likely to shift
the market out of the hands of organised crime into legal channels, which must be good for rhinos and other wildlife currently moving through these illicit channels. A large and steady supply of horns is also likely to lower and stabilise prices, which also plays against the black market.
Rhinos are most seriously threatened where proprietorship of
them is weak or where there are insufficient funds for law enforcement in protected areas.
It is further clear to me that to effectively end or at least contain rhino poaching to acceptable levels requires a suite of several carefully thought-out multi-pronged interventions. In the immediate term, there can be no substitute for heightened security, costly as it is, using well-trained, properly equipped, committed rangers supported by the best available technologies. Simultaneously, biological conservation measures, including range expansion, should be investigated and implemented. Finally, as long as there is demand for rhino horn, effective means of supplying it must be developed that would have the effect of saving the wild African rhino as a species. These strategies must be finalised with urgency [and an application duly made to the CITES Conference of Parties to legalize trade in rhino horn].
[According to the RIM report, an econometric model has been developed which for the first time provides a baseline model of supply, demand and pricing for rhino horn. Although demand data is limited in availability, the model is able to assess different levels of demand and indicate supply requirements at various levels, offering a useful tool for assessment of possible scenarios. This model, as well as other resource economic inputs, has been used in the assessment and development of recommendations pertaining to trade.]
I find strong support for my proposition of promoting conservation and sustainable utilization of natural resources in our wildlife, in our Constitution, various international agreements on biodiversity to which we are party and our national environmental legislative framework. Importantly, Section 24 of the Constitution of 1996 provides that: "Everyone has the right-
(a) to an environment that is not harmful to their health or well-being; and
(b) to have the environment protected, for the benefit of present and future generations, through reasonable legislative and other measures that-
(i) prevent pollution and ecological degradation;
(ii) promote conservation; and
(iii) secure ecologically sustainable development and use of natural resources while promoting justifiable economic and social development."
Our constitutional and legal framework, therefore, supports conservation through sustainable utilisation and provides a legal basis for, amongst others, trade as a tool of conservation.
It is noted that Cabinet, in December 2012, agreed that Minister should start a dialogue on the viability and desirability of lifting the CITES ban on trading in rhino horn. The Minister is urged to obtain Cabinet`s endorsement for initiating the process of getting CITES approval, at COP 17 which will be held in South Africa in 2015, to lift the ban on trading in rhino horn, but to only argue for a limited and well-defined trade in rhino horn, within a market mechanism strongly regulated (possibly even between State parties), and only of rhino`s that died of natural causes, or from present stockpiles, or possible dehorning, and upon compliance of very strict obligations.
Is it possible to substitute the present underground, illegal, "Black Market" with a limited legal market with strict controls? [EXPLAIN HOW]
CONCLUSION
It would be remiss of me, as Chairperson, not to end this debate by thanking all members of my Portfolio Committee for the integrity, humanity, diligence and intellectual vigour and honesty with which they participate in the activities of the Committee, with a special acknowledgement to the leaders of the various parties in the Portfolio Committee for their constructive engagement and support. I owe all a debt of gratitude. Thank you. May I also pay a special tribute in Parliament to the wonderful contribution that two true South African patriots, the Honourable Piedt Mathebe, MP, who is now our High Commissioner in Zambia and the Honourable Gareth Morgan, MP, who has taken a sabbatical from political life, have played in this Portfolio Committee, over many years, I also welcome the Honourable Dhlomo MP and Rogers MP to our Portfolio Committee and may your contribution be everlasting and empowering and your stay fulfilling.
May I also, pay tribute and thank, The Minister, Deputy Minister and the Director General and her Department, for the helpful, diligent, open and transparent manner in which they engage the Portfolio Committee and the intellectual vigour and honesty with which they do so.
I thank you.
Francois Rodgers, Shadow Deputy Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs
Highlights:
Everything we do has an impact on our environment and ultimately our future and the future of our children to come;
We need to ensure that all our mines respect and adhere to our environmental policies and legislation;
More than 70 mines are operating without water licences;
Staffing to enforce compliance and monitoring remains a challenge;
The DA-led government in the Western Cape is leading the way in environmental programmes in South Africa.
Good afternoon Chairperson, Madam Minister, Honourable Members and Guests.
It is perhaps fitting with the imminent first state visit of the President of the United States of America, Barack Obama that I open with his wise words:
“This is the moment when we must come together to save this planet. Let us resolve that we will not leave our children a world where the oceans rise and famine spreads and storms devastate our land”.
We live in a fast moving and ever changing world where enormous pressure and demands are being placed on our precious planet and its limited resources. Our population is on the ever increase, urban development continues at an alarming rate, housing as well as transport, both road and air, are all part of the growing demands that face us on a daily basis. The quest for employment sees an ever increasing demand on the commercial, industrial and mining sectors.
In the pursuit of economic freedom we often neglect environmental freedom! This all occurs on a finite resource base further compounded by increase in carbon emission, waste and various other by-products that are increasing the risk of destroying the very world that we cherish.
One of the very challenges facing our environment is mining - an industry that is interwoven into the very fabric of our nation. It is an industry that will remain at the heart of our country for decades to come. Mining plays a vital role in the growth and development of South Africa and its economy. However if not monitored and controlled it has an impact on our country’s biodiversity that is not sustainable.
As a nation, as government, industry and business, we must realise the environment is not a free commodity. Everything we do has an impact on our environment and ultimately our future and the future of our children to come.
We need to ensure that all our mines respect and adhere to our environmental policies and legislation. Many do and lead by fine example; however some do not and operate without any reverence for our laws and our environment. These renegade operators need to be brought to book and face the full might of the law.
One of the greatest challenges we face is the threat to our fresh water supply, particularly in the pursuit of mining minerals and the industrial sector. Catchments are already heavily polluted by the mining sector. Six out of nineteen of the catchment areas will not have enough water to meet sustained demands by 2030. 12% of our land generates 50% of our river flow and much of this 12% is in coal rich mining areas. To sustain life as we know it fresh water security must take centre stage.
The National Development Plan recognises the difficulty in moving to a resilient low carbon economy but does not address the protection of our fresh water resources. Coal accounts for the bulk of our energy supply and energy production accounts for 70% of our green house gas emissions. Mining and the processing of minerals demand very high energy consumption. Eskom further compounds this environmental impact with very little change in mind shift away from coal powered stations, if anything the number will soon increase from 10 to 12 coal driven stations.
Due to these challenges, Parliament passed an amendment to the National Environmental Management Act in 2008. The purpose was to move the issue of mining licenses from the Department of Energy and Minerals to the Department of Environmental Affairs. This relied on amendments to the Minerals and Petroleum Resource Development Act which were also passed. It would appear that the reasons for these amendments have still not come to fruition and a grey and murky area exist between the two departments as to the granting of mining licences.
The Department of Mineral Resources does not have a great track record in environmental governance. Both departments Environmental Affairs and Department of Mineral Resources need to develop closer cooperation to address these challenges. Currently more than 70 mines are operating without water licences. This matter needs immediate attention and the sole responsibility should be placed with the Department of Environmental Affairs, to belabour this issue is to the detriment of our resources.
In both the Department of Water Affairs and Environmental Affairs, staffing to enforce compliance and monitoring remains a challenge. Only 30 dedicated posts exist. There is a constant challenge in trying to retain skilled staff. If one considers the Water Affairs report on water monitoring on waste discharge points, sampling points and mines, the figures speak for themselves. Both waste discharge and sampling points where only an average of 50% of their targets were achieved and only 457 of the almost 1600 mines were inspected.
The Green Scorpions have been a welcome asset to the Department in dealing with National environmental compliance and monitoring. These posts have increased from 903 in 2010 to in excess of 1400. However, if one takes into account that 600 of these posts are in our National Parks and a few hundred in our Provincial Parks only 66 dedicated green scorpions are utilized in the Department nationally, The duty of these scorpions is too enforce, the National Environmental Management Act, Biodiversity Act, Air Quality Act, Waste Act, Integrated Coastal Management Act and Protected Areas Act, a tall order taking into account the number of posts and the enormity of the task.
The Minister, her Department and the portfolio committee need to be congratulated on realising the necessity of the Green Economy. The Green Car project is an initiative of forward thinking and planning, as Richard Branson said “we have a shot at really working together to turn upside down the way we approach the challenges we are facing in the world and to look at them in a brand new, entrepreneurial way. Never has there been a more exciting time for all of us to explore this great frontier where the boundaries between work and higher purpose are merging into one, where doing good really is good for business”.
The DA-led government in the Western Cape is leading the way in environmental programmes in South Africa. In creating an enabling environment where business can flourish, the Western Cape identified the need to stimulate South Africa’s Green Economic Hub. The province has become the leader in the manufacturing of solar and wind generated power industries, it launched the 110% Green initiative, the Genius of Place concept, Smart Living and Working project as well as the Green Economy and Strategy Framework shows the difference clear political will and direction can have on implementing real change.
As the saying goes some lead and others will follow!
Marti Wenger, Shadow Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs
Highlights:
More than 350 rhinos have been killed in 2013. This figure has trebled since the beginning of 2013;
Rhino poaching case finalisation and conviction takes up to 2 years;
It is unfortunately not only the rhinos that are under threat – elephants are being targeted as well;
We welcome the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding with Vietnam;
Disposal of hazardous waste is still a major problem throughout the country; and
SANParks’ increased entry costs will make National Parks inaccessible to people of South Africa;
Good Morning Chairperson, Madam Minister, Honourable Guests
On the 4th of March 2013 Minister Edna Molewa was quoted as saying “By last week, 102 rhinos had already been killed. On a positive note, 40 arrests have been made. This is but one aspect of the battle against this problem, which the government is tackling on several levels.”
On 22 May this figure has already trebled and escalated to 354 – yes, you did here me correctly, trebled! And since then, we have reached the 360 mark of rhinos killed in our country. Sadly, since yesterday, yet another 4 rhinos have been killed. One in Timbavati, two at Sabi Sands and one near Crocodile Bridge in the Kruger National Park.
Surely, Madam Minister this speaks volumes that we are not winning the war against poaching and that the situation is reaching alarming and critical levels. At this rate, we will be left with no rhinos at all.
The onslaught by heavily armed rhino poachers is relentless and this month alone the mutilations, killings and disfigurement of these defenceless animals had reached 100. This can only be described as a tragedy - we are not winning this war. In spite of increasing the number of rangers, police and soldiers to patrol the Kruger National Park borderline which is hardest hit, our rhinos continue to die. The removal of the Trans-Frontier Park Fencing was, as now proven, definitely not a wise decision and the Minister must very seriously re-consider the re-installation of these fences. Do we know or have track of what happened to the 450 rhinos that went through the border after the removal of the fencing and never to be seen again?
Last Friday night, Section Ranger Andrew Desmet was shot and wounded in the stomach north of Letaba in the Kruger National Park during a fire-fight with rhino Poachers. Andrew is the first victim since 2008 to be shot in the Kruger National Park. He underwent surgery at Medi-Clinic in Nelspruit and his condition was reported as stable. We wish Andrew a speedy recovery.
Let’s look at some comparisons: between 2000 and 2007 the poaching rate of rhinos was 12 per year and since 2007 the figure has escalated in 2008 to 83, in 2009 to 122, in 2010 to 333, in 2011 to 448 and in 2012 to 668. Of these, 425 occurred in the Kruger National Park. This is over a 5000% increase in the number of rhinos killed between 2007 and 2012.
With the street value of $65,000 per kilogram, rhino horn is indeed more precious than gold.
South Africa is the home for 85% of the worlds rhino population and if the killings continue we can expect some 900 rhinos to be killed by the end of the year with the Kruger National Park bearing the brunt of the escalation in poaching.
But, other provinces are not spared either: on Tuesday, Ezemvelo KwaZulu-Natal Wildlife announced a weekend massacre of 7 white rhinos and one black rhino at iSimangaliso, a World Heritage Site near St Lucia. Additional carcasses were also discovered in Vryheid bringing the KwaZulu-Natal figure to 12 in the last 20 days.
Further incidents have also been reported in the North West and Mpumalanga.
267 persons were arrested in 2012 for rhino poaching of which 73 occurred in the Kruger Park. This year 78 arrests have been made. Unfortunately the cases take up to two years before finalisation and conviction and we have recently seen the re-arrest of a previous offender out on bail which does not help the cause.
We welcome finally, the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Vietnam and we hope that this memorandum will bring law enforcement from both countries together in bringing down the boom in rhino poaching and the illegal trade in horn. Further MoUs with Thailand, China and Kenya are of utmost importance as well as the bi-laterals with Zimbabwe and Mozambique.
A special bilateral agreement with Mozambique has to be a very stringent one considering that more than 80% of poachers apprehended are from Mozambique.
We want assurance from the Minister that the stock piles are accounted for and in safe locations so that they are not accessed and stolen by poachers and traders.
Rhino poaching should be declared a national disaster and funding should be accessible in order to manage the crisis. We therefore welcome the additional funding of R75 million over the medium term in the 2013 Budget to combat rhino poaching in the South African National Parks. This, however, does not cover private parks and reserves.
Chairperson, it is unfortunately not only the rhinos that are under threat – the elephants are being targeted as well. Last week a mature female elephant was poached in Tembe Elephant Park in the North of KwaZulu-Natal and the guns used were AK 47’s. If we do not nip this in the bud, we will have a similar situation on our hands with the elephants.
Additional funding to the South African National Biodiversity Institute of R150 million over the medium term is welcomed so that the institute will be able to deliver on its mandate and to improve and maintain critical infrastructure under its control such as the Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden education centre.
South African biodiversity is endowed with huge wealth in species
5.8% - representing 300 of the global total of mammals;
8% - representing more than 800 of bird species recorded;
4.6% - representing 288 of reptiles; and
5.5% of the world’s known insects.
All these species have to be managed and protected in conjunction with the provincial departments.
The National Development Plan’s vision is to embrace a transition to an environmentally sustainable economy. The R800 million boost for the Green Fund that the Treasury has recently announced will create a further 63 000 jobs in this coming financial year over and above the 27 000 new job opportunities that have already been created, of which 10 400 are full time.
Greening the Future is an initiative that must draw on international best practice in its design, maximise the use of available initiatives, ignite local action and reward everyone for better environmental performance. The programmes should become one of cornerstones of the integrated development plans at all municipalities especially in development and planning department.
SANParks has 558 000 hectares of land under its custodianship with 22 National Parks under its management, of which only 5 make a profit. With the change in funding from day-to-day operational funding into once-off project based grant funding the project has to be self-sustaining in terms of operational costs, long term maintenance and upgrading. Let’s hope that this will not increase entry costs to these parks and thereby price them out of the market.
Madam Minister, the oversight over the implementation of the National Waste Management Strategy is of utmost importance.
The disposal of hazardous waste is still a major problem throughout the country. Hazardous materials still have to be transported around the country to an accredited site, thereby endangering people on route. The licensing and issuing of permits to waste disposal sites are not progressing fast enough and should be fast tracked together with the development of policies, processes and systems.
The role of government in current and future waste management can learn from the Western Cape which through the Green Economy strategy Framework aims to minimise waste in all forms and to help biodiversity and ecosystems through better planned and located settlements.
The Auditor General’s Report is cause for concern with its findings in the latest audit report, stating that
Consultants were appointed where permanent capacity should have been created;
Consultant were appointed due to lack of internal capacity;
Comprehensive needs assessment not done;
Competitive procurement processes not followed;
Expectations on milestones, timelines and cost not clearly specified;
Skills transfer was ineffective;
Contracts extended due to lack of project management and monitoring;
Effective oversight and internal controls not executed prior to payments;
Lack of proper project management and monitoring;
Cost overruns not motivated and approved;
Failure to retrospectively analyse projects.
As you can see Madam Minister, you have your work cut out in addressing the challenges that face you and your department for the coming financial year.
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Budget Vote Debate 30 - Environmental Affairs |
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Minutes
Department of Environmental Affairs Briefs the Media on the Key Areas of the Budget Vote Speech
Today, the Deputy Minister and I presented the Department of Environmental Affairs’ Budget Vote Speech. Our Budget Vote Speech showed an alignment between the Department’s strategic priority areas to the National Development Plan.
Our challenge in the context of a nation which is a developing state is to find a healthy balance between the three pillars – sustainable economic growth, social development and environmental sustainability. In pursuit of South Africa's developmental pathway, a shared vision and common goal of sustainability has emerged as a strong driver of industry values as well as societal behaviour.
The National Development Plan reminds us of the escalating costs of maintaining built infrastructure in the face of increasing natural disasters, as well as the rising costs of delivering clean water to communities. This suggests that the value of biodiversity assets and ecological infrastructure now urgently needs to be understood by those sectors facilitating the implementation of this Plan.
We have now developed initiatives to support effective decision-making in programmes such as the Presidential Strategic Integrated Projects or SIP’s. This we do through the strategic information and decision-making support tools that have already been established, like the Biodiversity Geographical Information System amongst other innovations
True to our commitment in our Budget Speech last year, we celebrated the International Day for Biodiversity this year by launching the Biodiversity and Mining Guideline jointly with the mining sector.
South Africa has not fully exploited the economic, commercial, industrial or large scale livelihood dependency on the oceans surrounding our country. Geographically, our country is centrally positioned between the East and West trade routes. Opportunities for ship support industry and ports enjoy a healthy market. South Africa, however, has no large bulk commercial ships on its national ships register.
South Africa has an abundance of terrestrial natural and marine living resources, which makes us well placed to exploit the blue economy that our location provides. More recently countries that have invested in ocean research and engineering have appreciated the development advantage that can be accessed through oceans. In this regard, our Green Paper on policy for the National Environmental Management of the Oceans was submitted to Cabinet last year for approval to publish for comments. At present we are working on the comments received and we plan to re-submit to Cabinet for final approval.
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’s CoP18 Conference was held in Doha, Qatar late last year. This secured the Durban legacy with an outcome that concluded the necessary provisions to give effect to a second commitment period under the Kyoto Protocol, including legal, operational, ambition and environmental integrity considerations.
The development of a management strategy for environmental impact assessment on integrated permitting system to address key concerns and constraints within the current environmental impact management system are well underway.
We must acknowledge the good work done with the Department of Energy in processing all the applications for renewable energy. Up to 25 000 megawatts of wind and solar projects have been authorised for the various parts of the country to date. This is far more than the original quota for the first three rounds of the bidding programme. The quota set by the Department of Energy was 3 750 megawatts.
In order to facilitate and support accelerated implementation of the sustainable development initiatives, particularly the Strategic Infrastructure Programme, a streamlined environmental authorisation process has been introduced. Other tools, such as Strategic Environment Assessments are being developed to further accelerate authorisations while ensuring sound environmental impact management in line with sustainable development principles.
Our green economy interventions must support the National Development Plan to ensure that our programmes positively contribute to its targets and centrally position our sector as a hub of job creation, whilst not deviating from our mandate of protecting the integrity of our environment.
The sustainable use of indigenous biological resources is fundamental to the development of South Africa’s economy. The bioprospecting and the hunting industries particularly, are also integral to our contribution to sustainable development and green jobs in South Africa.
We are committed to improve the socio-economic benefits within the environmental sector, by creating 65 494 work opportunities which will yield 34 019 Full-Time Equivalents Jobs. The targeted designated groups are women, youth and people living with disabilities.
We have accessed a total amount of 2.39 billion Rands from the Expanded Public Works Programme for our Environmental Programmes in the new financial year, which will boost the job-creation objective of Government, and secure vital environmental benefits from the work to be done.
The jobs will not be created in isolation to the Department’s mandate; hence the Working for Water, Working on Fire and the Environmental Protection and Infrastructure programmes, through their various sub-programmes, will also deliver environmental outputs such as rehabilitating 105 wetlands, cleaning more than 2 100 kilometres of coastline, rehabilitation of estuaries and dunes, construction of boardwalks to facilitate access, planting trees, building of waste buy-back centres, removing invasive alien plants, provision of infrastructure to facilitate conservation and rehabilitating thousands of hectares of land this year. The jobs created will be coupled with skills development wherein 184 263 accredited training person days will be achieved.
During this financial year, we aim to spend just over 1.13 billion Rands on the Working for Water and associated programmes, whilst Working on Fire will get 406 million Rands, and the Environmental Protection and Infrastructure Programmes will get 817 million Rands.
Our People and Parks project continues to benefit local communities through access and benefit sharing such as harvesting of natural resources, access to graves, free access to protected areas for educational purposes, monetary pay-outs to claimants which result in reducing poverty eradication.
Through this programme we:
- Launched the national co-management framework which enables innovative governance by conservation authorities and local communities, enables active participation and decision making in the management of protected areas.
- Facilitated co-management agreements with the Nwanedi land claimants in Limpopo and the Songimvelo Community in Mpumalanga.
- Established business linkages to support community initiatives adjacent to protected areas and also encourage communities to establish cooperatives/small businesses to enable them to tender for jobs within protected areas.
- Procured goods and services amounting to R30 million from SMME’s within the 30 protected areas.
- 5852 jobs were created and 241 SMMEs were developed by Provinces and Management Authorities through funding obtained from Environmental Protection and Infrastructure Programme.
- 509 people from 15 protected areas benefited in the capacity building on the use of natural resources
With regards to our wetlands, a total of R530 million has been invested in the rehabilitation of 906 wetlands. To date, the programme has provided 12 848 employment opportunities.
This year we celebrated the World Wetlands Day with the Kareedouw community in the Koukamma Local Municipality. We chose the Kromme River catchment which experienced dramatic floods in 2006 which resulted in heavy loss of life and property. Ten million has been invested to rehabilitation of this wetland. A total of 60 local people were employed. The Kromme River catchment supplies about 40% of Port Elizabeth’s water, via the Churchill Dam.
On the international front, we are intensifying the collaborative law enforcement effort to combat this increasing scourge of rhino poaching as well as international cooperation with recipient and transit countries such as Vietnam, Thailand and China. To date we have signed Memorandums of Understanding with Vietnam and China and we aim to sign similar agreements with Mozambique and other Asian countries.
The reality of rhino poaching, particularly in the Kruger National Park (KNP), continues to be a major challenge for the country, especially when considering prevalent financial constraints. This situation is fuelled by a thriving black market trade in rhino horn.
We presented this budget vote a few days before Environmental Month under the theme: Think, Eat, Save. Our plan is intact and we will embark on various activities as we celebrate Environment Month.
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