Minister of Environmental Affairs Budget Speech & responses by DA and IFP

Minister of Environmental Affairs, Ms Edna Molewa gave her Budget Vote Speech on the 03 May 2016.

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Honourable Chairperson of the Session;
Honourable Deputy Minister, Ms Barbara Thomson, MP;
Honourable Acting Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee, Mr Silence Makhubele, MP;
Honourable Members of the Portfolio Committee;
Honourable Members of Parliament;
Distinguished Chairpersons and Chief Executives of Public Entities;
Distinguished guests;
Ladies and Gentlemen;
 
In December last year the UN General Assembly (UNGA) adopted 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, as encapsulated in the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG's) and Agenda 2063 of the African Union.
 
The declaration of the Sustainable Development Goals envisages among others, 'a world in which every country enjoys inclusive and sustainable economic growth, and decent work for all'.
 
It is also two weeks since world Leaders from 175 countries met in New York and signed the Paris Agreement to combat climate change. The Paris Agreement has its roots here in South Africa, on the African soil, where it's terms of negotiations were agreed to. It marks a new era in international cooperation to deal with one of the most pressing issues of our time.
 
Today we present the Budget Vote, programmes and priorities of the Department of Environmental Affairs, at a time when countries around the world are stepping up efforts to integrate sustainable development principles into their planning and governance processes.
 
The 17 SDGs and the Paris Agreement are all characterized by Aspiration, Ambition and Action but also chart a new course for Global Development.
As we strive towards realizing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the plan of action for People, Planet and Prosperity, we are confident that bolstered by this Budget, our Government will through the Department of Environmental Affairs continue to work towards promoting equitable, inclusive, sustained and environmentally sound economic growth.
 
Green low carbon and climate resilient economy
 
One of the key investments in growing the green economy is the development of sustainable economic infrastructure. In order to accelerate this development process, government launched the Strategic Infrastructure Programme (SIP).
 
As a contribution to this effort the Department is conducting Strategic Environmental Assessments with a view to pre-assess potential environmental impacts and on this basis to streamline and integrate environmental authorizations for these developments.
 
The SEA’s for wind and solar renewable energy development zones (REDZ) have been completed and gazetted these zones along with a streamlined and simplified planning, impact assessment and authorization procedure for renewable energy development applications in these zones.
 
In support of the renewable energy roll out we have also finalized the pre-assessment of the grid expansion corridors. A total of 137 renewable energy applications have already been authorized, representing an equivalent of 5719 Megawatts.
 
Recent legislative amendments have enabled us to timeously finalize a total of 35 SIPS applications. Of these, 34 were concluded within the legislated period, translating to a 97% efficiency rate.
 
This represents a significant investment in the highly successful Renewable Energy Independent Power Producers Procurement Programme (REIPPP) that has so far attracted some R200 billion in investment since its launch.
 
Over and above work done in the clean energy space, a total of 1371 EIA applications were processed by all competent authorities during the last financial year. The National Department was responsible for 279 of these applications. Of these, 1286 were finalized within the legislated time frame. This translates to a 93.8 % efficiency rate across all competent authorities.  In the 2016/17 it is our plan to raise this to a 98% efficiency level.
 
SEA’s for the Square Kilometer Array and Shale Gas exploration are currently underway. This year will see the initiation of a SEA for the second phase of the Renewable Energy programme as well as for further grid expansion and gas pipeline development.
 
In a further effort to streamline the assessment and authorization process, we have also gazetted the Draft National Standard for Land based Abalone Aquaculture. In support of this sector and we will be publishing an Instrument Adoption regulations to enable the use of other more fit-for-purpose Environmental Impact Assessment and management instruments.
 
These regulations will also facilitate the use of Spatial Land Use Management Act instruments such as Spatial Development Frameworks (SDF) and Land Use Schemes (LUS). To this end, we are developing minimum environmental requirements for SDF’s and LUS’s in partnership with the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform.
 
In 2012 we established the Green Fund with the objective of supporting our country’s transition to a green economy through the provision of a catalytic finance to facilitate and stimulate investment in green initiatives. A total budget allocation of R 1.1 billion has been made and the Board of the Fund has approved 31 investment projects, 16 research and development projects and 8 capacity building projects.
 
Over 1 600 direct job opportunities and at least 11 300 indirect job opportunities have been created. The majority of these job opportunities are created under the investment projects portfolio. More than 7 400 individuals have been directly trained and capacitated in the area of green skills.
 
As we all know, the final adoption of the Paris Climate Change in December 2015 represents a major step forward in international cooperation towards sustainable green, low carbon and climate resilient economies globally. During the Paris negotiating process South Africa played a key role as Chair of the Group of 77 plus China, representing 134 developing countries, and as lead negotiator for the Africa Group.
Two weeks ago South Africa joined 174 other countries as a proud signatory to the Paris Agreement. We have commenced domestic ratification processes to enable the entry into force of the agreement in 2020.
 
This new legal framework will guide international efforts to limit greenhouse gas emissions, and enable the transition to climate resilient societies and economies, particularly through the commitment by developed countries to provide financial, technology and capacity building support to developing countries in their effort to address the climate change challenge.
 
In the lead up to the Paris climate change negotiations, South Africa submitted its Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Our INDC is guided by the National Climate Change Response Policy and outlines our national goals for our adaptation effort, and it clearly outlines that South Africa will peak and plateau its greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.
 
In implementing our commitment, we are putting in place a greenhouse gas emission mitigation framework, which will include a range of measures aimed at achieving our overall national goals as reflected in our National Development Plan.
 
This year we begin the first voluntary 5-year cycle of implementing the greenhouse gas emission mitigation system, covering the period 2016 to 2020, with a mandatory system for the next 5-year phase. Key components of the system include a carbon budget for each company; submission of pollution prevention plans which will indicate how companies plan to achieve their carbon budgets; a reporting system to gather information on emissions from companies; and a variety of other measures to be applied to support and/or complement the carbon budget system.
 
These additional measures include the development of an efficient, lower-carbon public transport system; land restoration in critical catchments; a Sustainable Cities Programme; expansion of support for small independent power producers; and the sustainable energy acceleration Programme.
We have worked with the German Development Bank to mobilize over R 115 million to support phase 2 of the non-motorized transport system in the three Metros. The rollout of public transport through the Bus Rapid Transport Systems in Gauteng has also gained traction.
We have mobilized some US$ 7.2 million from the Global Environment Facility (GEF), for unlocking Biodiversity benefits through development finance in critical catchments. The GEF is also financing the Sustainable Cities Programme to the value of US$ 9 million while the small Independent Power Producers are supported with an Equity Fund of US$ 15 million, all channeled through the DBSA. We have mobilized US$57.5 million from the Climate Investment Fund to support the expansion of the approved South African Sustainable Energy Acceleration Programme.
We are proud to announce that the DBSA has been accredited as an implementing Agency of the GEF and GCF while SANBI is accredited as an implementing Agency of the Adaptation Fund and in the process being accredited for GCF.
The recently concluded Climate Change Adaptation Strategy identifies priority interventions and harmonises key Water, Agriculture, Biodiversity, Health, Human Settlement, and Disaster Risk Reduction sectoral adaptation plans into a comprehensive National Adaptation Plan.
 
Waste
 
I want to turn now to one of the most important potentially emerging contributors to the generation of jobs in the green economy, the waste sector. 
 
Despite a total estimated value of R 25 billion to the South African economy, the current rate of waste recycling has not been maximized.
 
I am pleased to say that we have established a sound and comprehensive regulatory platform to accelerate the waste recycling economy and waste beneficiation and thereby unlocking economic opportunities in the waste sector.
 
This month we will be convening a Special meeting (Waste Khoro) to consider progress attained since last year's Waste Summit, especially in  supporting our municipalities on sound waste management practices.
 
To encourage the scale-up of recycling enterprises in the waste sector, we launched the Recycling Enterprise Support Programme that will provide the initial capital setup costs for emerging entrepreneurs.
 
This year we aim to approve and begin the implementation of the three prioritised Industry Waste Management Plans (IWMPs), namely for the Paper and Packaging, Electrical and Electronic and Lighting Industries respectively.
 
In the first call for proposals we received over 200 creative and innovative proposals. We are working with the Departments of Small Business Development and Labour, Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), Public Investment Corporation (PIC) and other DFI's on various financing models to ensure massive scale-up, transformation and job creation.
 
In line with the Pricing Strategy for waste and the SARS Waste Tyre Levy collection system, these IWMPs will set in motion a new economic paradigm for the management of these waste streams in South Africa.
 
Plans have been put in place for the management and disbursement of funds through the Waste Management Bureau that will be fully operationalized this year.
 
The REDISA waste Tyre Management Plan launched in 2012 has been cited internationally as best practice for waste management.
 
As at February 2016, 226 small businesses and 3112 jobs were created through the REDISA Waste Tyre Management Plan. As at February 2016, some 20 935 tonnes of waste tyres were collected and 12 728 tonnes were processed. This being a new programme, and the first of its kind, the results remain remarkable. We are currently conducting an annual audit to strengthen this program.
 
Hazardous Waste and Landfill Management remains an area of focus for our Department, as this is inextricably linked to the health and wellbeing of surrounding communities.
 
We have finalized a Hazardous Waste Roadmap that deals with the import, storage, treatment and disposal of hazardous waste, including medical waste. In the past financial year we issued 53 Remediation Orders for contaminated sites, and by the end of this month we would have finally eradicated a backlog of 341 unlawful municipal landfill sites.
 
We have also partnered with the Department of Mineral Resources to address the environmental, health and safety issues around mine dumps in the development of a beneficiation plan for waste from these dumps, metal processing facilities near these dumps.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Whilst we acknowledge that we have come a long way, support, capacity and awareness around waste management at a municipal level remains an issue.
We are also working hard to bring our country's estimated 62 147 registered Waste Pickers, who are currently vulnerable workers, into the formal waste economy and ensure their safety and protection. Waste pickers help to   divert recyclables away from landfill.
This year we will continue to hand over tools of trade as in mechanized vehicles, as we did last year to some of the registered e-waste collectors. This we will do in order to alleviate the pain and inconvenience of them pushing the heavy manual trolleys and bags all day long.
 
I am delighted to announce that I will be launching the new initiative by the Coca Cola and Mpact Partnership, on the 10th of this month, in Germiston. This is the largest plastic bottle recycling plant in Africa, valued at R350m and creating 1000 jobs. This is indeed a real example of what is possible in the recycling economy
 
We also acknowledge the latest initiatives implemented by the DCLM of an Integrated Waste Management of a Landfill Site impended in KZN with new and high quality of technology that is a full-cycle dealing with waste and treatment of water.
 
Over the next three years, we will be working with the Departments of Science and Technology (DST), Labour, Small Business Development and Cooperatives, CSIR, Municipalities, NGO's and Waste Pickers and Cooperatives Associations to recognize and integrate waste pickers into the Municipal waste management system.
 
Later this month at the Waste Khoro, I will be launching South Africa's first fully integrated Waste App, named "CleanSweep." This is an exciting initiative that will provide instant access by all users to waste data and various links to disposal sites, recycling and awareness information as well as proactively combat illegal dumping.
 
Chemicals
 
The chemicals sector remains an important contributor to our economy. However, the unmanaged release of hazardous chemicals into the environment poses real risk.
 
To curb the illegal trafficking of the controlled and banned chemical substances, we have worked with SARS and trained 170 SARS and Industry Trade Advisory Committee on Chemicals (ITAC) Inspectors at the Durban, Port Elizabeth, East London, Cape Town, Johannesburg and Beit Bridge ports of entry.
 
During 2015/16 we hosted our first ever, Chemicals Management and Land Remediation Summit, to find solutions, best practice models, and enhance policy and legislation that will lead to the minimization of the adverse effects of chemicals on human health and the environment. A Platform for Action was developed and is currently being implemented.
 
South Africa continues to play a leading role in the negotiations and implementations of all Chemicals and Waste Multilateral Environmental Agreement that we are party to.
 
We have begun work in assessing the possible impact on South Africa of the Minamata Convention on Mercury and will complete this study by the end of the financial year.
 
On Asbestos Remediation, this year we commenced with addressing contaminated areas in Penge in the Limpopo province. We have completed further detailed analysis on these contaminated sites, utilizing global best practice and leading experts in the field. These efforts will be scaled up next year as more funds become available.
 
Air Quality
 
One of our important mandates is to ensure that air quality in our country is in line with internationally accepted standards. To this end, the National Ambient Air Quality Standards have been established, to ensure full industry compliance that simultaneously does not hinder sustainable economic growth.
 
As per our current analysis and findings, there is general compliance at a national level, with the exception of the Vaal (Zamdela and Sebokeng), Highveld (Emalahleni and Secunda) areas, as well as the emerging Waterberg-Bojanala area.
 
To address challenges in these areas, the Department is leading a Source Apportionment Study to assess different contributors to the air pollution levels. We have also initiated a Health Study in the Highveld Area to assess the impact of pollution on human health.
 
We have successfully established an innovation during the last financial year, namely, the South African Atmospheric Emission Licensing and Inventory Portal (SAAELIP) that is a one-stop web-based portal, to apply for licenses and report for compliance. This portal will go a long way in reducing the reporting burden on industries’ side and ensure the necessary information to assess and enforce compliance.
 
The South African Weather Service (SAWS) continues to host the South African Air Quality Information System (SAAQIS) and has increased the number of stations reporting to the system, to 143. This includes both government and privately owned stations.
 
Biodiversity Management and Conservation
 
In the Biodiversity and Conservation space, we want to remind South Africans that we are the 3rd most mega bio-diverse country in the world, and well-positioned to capitalize on our unique and potential renewable natural resources.
 
We continue to drive the biodiversity economy through our national parks, heritage sites, botanical gardens and a vast network of public and private protected areas. During the past financial year, an excess of 1,9 million people visited our National Botanical Gardens, managed by the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI). This is 6% higher than the previous year. As announced last year, we have declared our country's 10th National Botanical Garden at Kwelera near East London.
 
Our human capital development programme, Groen Sebenza Project, which recruited young people from across the country into the green sector ended in December 2015 having achieved over 950 job opportunities and over 650 actual permanent jobs created. In 2015, 955 were hosted and developed. From these 624 were absorbed into employment.
Our vast network of national parks are also a source of income generation, tourism and job creation. Importantly, our twenty first century national park system, mostly located in the rural areas not only plays a leading role in the conservation of our natural heritage but it is also a significant driver of local economic development.
 
A number of community projects have been initiated in order to bring neighbouring communities into the wildlife economy. Within the next two months we will deliver through SANParks some animals to a property owned by the Khomani San community adjacent to the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park as part of the implementation of this programme.
We are confident that this is a well- managed wildlife operation with mechanisms to ensure the flow of benefits to the community, and this donation represents part of an ongoing partnership to ensure progress on development in this area.
Communities adjacent to a number of other parks including Addo Elephant, Augrabies Falls and the Kruger National Park are also being engaged with a view to supporting the growth of a transformed wildlife economy.
A priority for South Africa is being able to grow a sustainable, inclusive and transformed biodiversity economy with communities. The Biodiversity Economy is largely anchored on three pillars, namely Bio-prospecting, Wildlife and Eco-tourism industries -- all having notable contribution to the country’s economy.
 
In July 2015, Cabinet approved the National Biodiversity Economy Strategy (NBES) setting out a number of strategic priorities required in order to develop the wildlife and bio-prospecting industries. We have begun to implement the NBES using the Operation Phakisa Delivery Model.
 
As a pillar of Operation Phakisa Oceans Economy launched by President Jacob Zuma in 2014, the DEA and Tourism Department are adding the marine and coastal tourism element. Other key elements being operationalised are in the area of bioprospecting and wildlife economy in the biodiversity Laboratories titled: "Biodiversity Lab: Growing the economic contribution of South Africa's biological resources."
 
One of the key elements of this socio-economic development programme, is to transform the wildlife economy industry, in which SANParks plays a key role.  
There have also been engagements with emerging game ranchers as part of a process towards developing custodianship or loan agreements with a view to supporting individual entrepreneurs in this sector.
 
At the same time, several initiatives are underway to boost ecotourism. The SANParks Public Private Partnership (PPP) programme remains a key element of our overall Responsible Tourism Strategy.
Under this programme 40 PPPs are operating within a number of National Parks, creating a significant number of jobs.
 
With regard to broader ecosystem conservation, the Protected Area system is our main mechanism to conserve our rich biodiversity. Our protected areas are also key to eco-tourism. As at the end of the 2015/2016 financial year, the total Conservation Estate of South Africa was 14 300 113 hectares which equals to 11.73% of South Africa’s terrestrial surface.
 
Oceans And Coasts And Oceans Economy : Operation Phakisa
 
We continue to register progress in the Oceans space, and build on our successes catalyzed by Operation Phakisa Oceans Economy. These successes include:
·         Declaring 22 new Marine Protected Areas (MPA's). This will bring our ocean protection within the South African Exclusive Economic Zone (EZZ) to more than 5%
·         Gazetting the Marine Spatial Planning Bill (MSP) this year, aimed at integrating planning among all ocean sectors, protecting sensitive areas, and achieving certainty for investors
·         Launching the South African Marine Research and Exploration Forum, led by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) to exploit the broader research opportunities presented by offshore oil and gas exploration.
·         Finalizing pre-emergency plans for the Offshore Oil industry
·         Releasing the first draft of the Aquaculture Bill, and the holding of stakeholder consultations in February this year. The Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) will report on the wider developments in the aquaculture space
·         A reduction in abalone poaching, working with other government departments and Rangers in the Marine Protection Services space and in the Bird Island Marine Protected Area (MPA).
 
In the interest of balancing and sustaining our country's development, we must ensure that we address the effects of humanity's footprint on our planet. We are daily witnessing the effects of some unsustainable development with the most important evidence in this regard being the changing climate.
 
To enable the country to build an effective response to climate change, the role of the South African Weather Service (SAWS) has been invaluable. The SAWS has expanded its service and product delivery to support adaptation to climate change, and its researchers continue to do sterling work in the fields of agro and hydro meteorology.
Significant enhancements have been made to the SAWS long range forecasting systems through the addition of two new Global Climate Models (GCM's). These models were consistent in their projections of the drought that has gripped our country.
In November last year, SAWS launched an online rainfall management application known as HydroNet. This application gives the user easy access to information on water availabity, monitors rainfall information in real-time, and provides rainfall predictions.
This is just one of the many useful tools produced by SAWS that can assist decision-makers  on critical decisions around the country's development, especially as this relates to human health, public safety, and food and water security.

Rhino Poaching
 
I would like to turn now to the rhino poaching situation.
 
By the end of 2015, rhino poaching figures had relatively stabilized. We attribute this preliminary success to the Integrated Strategic Management Approach involving the various relevant government departments, our private sector partners and stakeholders, the local and international donor community, as well as South Africans from all walks of life.
 
In this regard, I would like to recognize in particular, the hard work done by all our people and Rangers on the ground.  We also thank the hardworking officials in the criminal justice system - from investigators, to prosecutors to magistrates for an increase in the number of arrests and successful convictions for rhino poaching.
 
Cooperation with neighboring countries continues to play a role in the implementation of the Integrated Strategic Management of Rhinoceros, approved by Cabinet in 2014.
 
We have enhanced cooperation with Mozambique, and have interacted at the highest level through two Presidential visits as well as at ministerial level.
 
As part of the Integrated Strategic Management approach, during 2016, we plan to conduct anti-poaching awareness campaigns in a number of East Asian countries.
 
Cabinet had appointed an Inter-Ministerial Committee to provide guidance relating to the possibility of proposing a legal, regulated, commercial international trade in rhino horn to the Convention on International trade in Endangered Species (CITES) COP17.
 
Flowing from a Committee of Inquiry Report, considered by the Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) that was further tabled and ratified by Cabinet in April 2016, a decision was made as follows;
 
To implement the following minimum requirements that will create an environment conducive for rhino conservation in South Africa and effectively address rhino poaching and the illegal trade in rhino horn, namely:
•           The adoption and implementation of the National Integrated Strategy to Combat Wildlife Trafficking;
•           Community empowerment, including the development, adoption and implementation of a Community Empowerment Plan;
•           Biological management, including the adoption of an African rhino range States African Rhino Conservation Action Plan;
•           Responsive legislative provisions that are effectively implemented and enforced, including incentives to rhino owners to support continued investment in the conservation of rhino; and
•           Demand management, including information gathering to enhance our knowledge about demand for rhino horn and identifying the most effective interventions to manage demand.
 
Based on the Cabinet decision, South Africa will not be applying for the opening of a legal, international commercial trade in rhino horn at this coming CITES 17th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES COP17) which will be hosted in South Africa from 24 September to 5 October 2016.
 
COP17 will be preceded by a high-level Ministerial meeting on 23rd September 2016 to discuss the role of CITES in advancing Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development and the SDG's, especially as this relates to conservation.
 
This important event will afford our country an opportunity to showcase its rich biodiversity and sustainable use management practices which has resulted in South Africa being one of the most successful conservation countries today.
 
In addition, South Africa will demonstrate its commitment in the utilization of its natural resources in contributing to socio-economic development of poor and rural communities as part of the development agenda of government.
 
To ensure Africa’s unity at the upcoming CoP17, the Africa Group preparatory meeting will take place prior to the Conference.
 
A total of R15.2m has been allocated to enhance South Africa’s legacy programme of the 17th CoP to CITES and beyond. This includes the establishment the Youth and Conservation Programme that will ensure the mobilization and formal integration of the youth in conservation and the biodiversity economy initiatives.
 
Conclusion
 
Ladies and Gentlemen,
 
Twenty years ago, the late former President Nelson Mandela signed into law the Constitution of the new South Africa: laying the foundations for a democratic and open society in which government is based on the will of the people, and in which every citizen is equally protected by law.
 
Our National Development Plan (NDP) revolves around citizens being active in development, led by a capable and developmental state.
 
As we mark twenty years since our Constitution was signed into law, and with it, the explicit recognition of the rights of current and future generations to a clean environment - we are optimistic as ever.
 
Energized by this strong legal and regulatory regime that puts the environment at the cornerstone of development, let us continue to work together to realize the vision of a cleaner, greener South Africa.
 
I thank you!

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Responses

President Zuma, Minister Gordhan must put South Africa first: Terri Stander (DA) Shadow Deputy Minister of Environmental Affairs

Pravin Gordhan listed economic growth, job losses, business failures, lower revenue and decreased investment as challenges facing South Africa. State Owned Enterprises (SOEs) were created to obviate this.  Instead, SOEs leech off the fiscus and contribute little to economic growth, job creation, industrialisation, transformation and investment.  In fact, the weak balance sheets and poor performance of SOEs pose a direct threat to our credit ratings.

The Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) has never been effective in oversight and governance. Despite spending 57% of its budget on salaries, it complains it’s unable to attract and retain skilled employees. It then has to spend a further 14% on Consultants.

Without a legislative mandate the Ministry cannot take remedial action against SOEs, other than change the Boards.   These Boards lack experience and expertise to provide the required leadership; they are also shuffled more often than a deck of cards, which creates instability.

In four years, not one of the thirty-one recommendations listed in the Presidential Review Committee report on the Reconstruction of State Owned Enterprises in South Africa has been implemented.  This ignominious delay is directly attributed to Number One: who hid it from us.

Rather than managing policy squabbles within the ANC, we need what Martin Luther King Jr. described as the fierce urgency of now.  Ratings agencies are paying close attention to how the anarchy within the ANC is affecting the reform of SOEs.

Both Minister Gordhan and Number One hinted at reform this year, but the fact is, unless the ANC can agree on and communicate a specific time-bound plan before June, we are at risk of further ratings downgrades.

This plan should include:

·         Scrap the obsolete Department of Public Enterprises

·         Invest the savings and revenue generated from consolidating and privatising of Public Enterprise into creating an opportunity environment for People Enterprise

·         Reallocate SOC expenditure in the Mid-term Budget Review to fulfill Governments real mandate: provide service delivery, safety, quality education, dignity; as the Bill of Rights demands.

·         Transfer state owned land to communities to expedite land reform and to Municipalities so they can create inclusive urban areas where people have access to economic and social opportunities.

Young black people, as a result of failed policy interventions by the ANC Government, are now more marginalised than under the evil regime of Apartheid.  SOEs are not going to fix your mess.

South Africa’s greatest asset is our people, talented in our diversity. We need to build the capacity of everyone to improve their own lives. Individuals are the catalysts for Economic growth, job creation, industrialisation, transformation and investment. South Africans can work together to put our economy back on the up, but only if you invest in people enterprise and not public enterprise.

 

Government must allow private sector to drive investment in renewable energy: Thomas Hadebe DA Shadow Minister of Environmental Affairs

Honourable Chairperson, allow me to touch on some issues of public importance, which have a direct bearing on the performance and integrity of the Department of Environment Affairs.

Firstly, there is the issue raised by concerned South African Weather Service (SAWS) employees who reported to the Public Protector about financial irregularities by the service’s current acting general manager.  These allegations have led to the public protector investigating the entity.  As matter of fact Chairperson, it’s a second investigation by the Public Protector into this state entity. In 2009, the Public Protector investigated seven tenders that were given to companies without following proper tender procedures.  The Public Protector ‘s report was tabled in 2012. Through you Chairperson, I would like to know from the Minister if the Public Protectors’ remedial actions were implemented?  If not, why? This is not acceptable and it diminishes the reputation of SAWS and the department. The DA calls on the minister to urgently and swiftly get rid of this rot before it spreads throughout the department. DA also calls on the minister to conduct a transparent and independent investigation on the latest employees’ complaints.

Let me touch on another critical issue. Chairperson, there is definitely no doubt that the country faces economic challenges like the rest of world. We need secure and sustainable energy in order to meet our developmental demands.

At the same time we need to meet our legally binding targets as per the Paris agreement on climate change that was formally signed by the South African Government on the 22nd April 2016.  South Africa committed itself, in front of the International community, to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions.

Unless a truly integrated approach to environmental management is entrenched across all spheres of government and society, there is unlikely to be any improvement in acquiring clean energy and emissions reductions. The DA does not agree with the unique legal framework for mines whereby the Minister of Mineral Resources is the competent authority for granting environmental authorization for mines. The DA believes that there should be a single competent authority to manage environmental authorisations that supports legislative amendments to bring in environmental authorizations under the sole competency of the Minister of Environmental Affairs. The ANC government departments lack cohesion and an integrated approach when it comes to dealing with environmental issues.

With such a high level of incoordination it would be a gamble to entrust the ANC with the responsibility of regulating fracking or reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the country. The current government has shown on every front that environment protection is an extremely low priority. The various government departments work in silos and are highly fragmented.

The following classic example will illustrate this point.  While Minister Molewa was abroad on the 22nd  April 2016, signing the Paris agreement and announcing that the country had already begun taking steps to implement the agreement, Eskom was busy preparing a feasibility study for prolonging the life span of the coal powered power stations. This is really a slap in Minister Molewa’s face.

In early 2015, the Minister granted Eskom a postponement to comply with Minimum Emissions Standards based on the Eskom’s original plan to start decommissioning 10,000MW of power from aging power stations from 2020. All of a sudden Eskom is shifting the goal posts and proposing to prolong the lifespan of the aging power stations. To complicate the issue, is the admission by Eskom that there’s no budget set aside for that function.  This is deliberately done with the full knowledge that the lives of the people living in Vaal Triangle and Highveld areas are adversely affected by emissions from these old power stations. Eskom must comply with their original plan to reduce the health hazard from aging power stations by 2020.

Then it begs the question why revive ageing power stations when we can produce gas by anaerobic digestion, convert organic bio fuels and waste into gas to meet our energy needs. Countries like Sweden have shown that it can be done. Sweden uses waste to generate power to drive the economy. That country imports waste from the neighboring countries and uses it to generate power as they have run out of waste. They have done so with the realization that fossil fuels are harmful to its citizens and the environment. The preferred replacement for coal in this era of industrial revolution is renewable energy. That’s why we need to shape an economy that works for our citizens.

Chairperson, clearly the focus in modern age is on sustainable use and renewable energy. Money should be spent on preserving our scarce water resources, developing renewable infrastructure and protecting the environment. The money could be used in erecting giant solar farms in the Karoo desert and conducting research on tidal barrages. Imagine the number of specialized skills and employment opportunities that can be created on these projects.

Chairperson, let me give an example of a country that is putting massive investment into renewable energy.  India’s government has freed up the renewable energy sector. It plans to build power plants comprising of 175,000MW of solar, wind, hydro and biomass power by 2022.

This more than four times SA’s electricity-generation capacity. About 100,000MW of this will be solar and 60,000MW wind. That is a whopping $200bn of investment just for solar.  The good thing is that mainly private companies and foreign investors drive the investment.  Government’s role is to attract investors and to give them very good (tax and land) concessions. This is a very sensible investment and a safety conscious policy to implement.

Chairperson we are only the custodians of this “Earth” for a short time. If we continue to destroy it, then your children or your children’s children will eventually be without a home. That’s why we have a duty to use this world gently and sustainably. That’s why we must strive to create a green economy, to generate cleaner energy.

Rhino Poaching must stop, postponing extinction is not good enough: Jóhni Edwards DA Shadow Deputy Minister of Environmental Affairs

Minister- on the 14th of May last year you said the waste sector continues to be a source of job creation.  While this is true, I believe that this sector can be used more optimally, progressively and proactively.  Why are we still throwing waste on landfills and just digging it into the soil?  We are wasting land space that could be used to grow crops or vegetables or even build homes. We can optimise it by putting up inciniration plants and using the waste itself to create energy and jobs!

Why are we still seeing children play on mountains of waste created by this government? As I said last year – Sweden is turning waste into energy by incinerating more than 2.2 mil tons of waste and producing heat for 810 000 households and electricity for 250 000 homes. They are at a point where they don’t have any landfills left!  They are actually importing 800 000 tons of waste each year!  Imagine our country with NO landfils- they’ve done it, why can’t we?

While we talking about getting waste off the landfils and away from our poorest communities- let’s talk about recycling.  Even more importantly, the millions of jobs that are just waiting be created!  Long term jobs, not three month contracts.  Jobs that can make a meaningful diffirence in the lives of our people, the environment and the country as a whole.

Why are we still okay with plastic bags at super markets?  People think it is funy when a plastic shopping bag is revered to as our national flower.  I don’t, and neither should you.  The plastic bag is killing our live stock, our rivers, our environment and our oceans.  Why are we actually paying for something that is so harmful to our environment?  Stop the plastic bags in stores, and create jobs by incentivising handmade shopping bags that are reusable for years!

When it comes to wildlife conservation in SA, there is one hot topic on everyone’s lips- rhinos.  Conserving them, saving them and putting an end to the massacring of one of our precious BIG FIVE!  I believe it all boils down to one question:

Do we want rhinos in 20 years?

If the answer is no, then by all means, carry on.

If it’s YES- then my appeal to you will be to change strategy, drastically! Despite repeated requests to make the stats available more regularly, no new information has been made public by the Minister since January 2015.  According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and African Rhino Specialist Group (AfRSG) 1,338 rhinos were poached on the African continent in 2015, 1,175 of these rhinos were poached in South Africa.  That means 88% of the African rhinos poached in 2015 were slaughtered on South African soil.

And Minister, while I take note of the fact that in 2015 40 less rhinos were poached than in 2014, I must ask: What is it that you are trying to achieve?  When we consider the stats before us we have actually conserved very little.  Well done on the reduction, but this approach will only postpone the extinction date.  Minister, we need the poaching to stop.  Merely reducing the killings is not good enough.  If this government takes conservation seriously, they need to act immediately.  Every rhino that dies unnaturally brings the extinction date closer. Does this government really want to be remembered as the government that just didn’t care?

Budget Debate on Vote 27: Environmental Affairs IFP

Thank you Honourable Chairperson and Minister.
Let me say at the outset as the IFP, we support this budget vote. Environment, bio-diversity and conversation is very close to our hearts, as it is to the heart of our leader, Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, MP, who recently received an international award for the role he has played in promoting bio-diversity and conservation over the years.

Honourable Chairperson, Honourable Minister, you raised the issue of ocean spaces earlier on, as well as the 22 Marine Protected Areas (MPA’s). I want to focus two minutes of my time on Marine Protected Areas and bring to your attention the fact that there are some regulations that are soon to be promulgated, in about 18 months or so, with regard to MPA’s and marine conservancy areas. Now there are certain disputes Chairperson that have arisen in the Clansthal and the Aliwal Shoal areas, where the Conservancies have now been pitted against the Rock Anglers and the Line Fishermen. What we would like you to do Honourable minister is to get a report from Mr Xola Mkefe who has been very sensible in his approach; He was there making presentations and you would find that some of the objectors or some of those who are supporting the regulations are not supporting it for the sake of protecting the marine resources but rather for personal and selfish interests. They want the privileges that they gained pre-1994 to be entrenched through regulation.
I am glad Honourable Minister that you are nodding your head in agreement!

In this particular area, there are people who claim that they have rights right up to the high water mark, Admiralty rights. These were rights that were granted to them in the days of the Queen, hundreds of years ago, and we must not allow this to happen at the expense of bona fide Line Fishermen and Rock Anglers. They cannot destroy the marine resources. It is the trawlers and the big commercial fishing vessels that are depleting our fishing reserves; they are de facto responsible for destroying our fishing grounds.

Honourable Minister, I also request that you investigate notice boards that the Conservancy has put up and I took a photograph of the notice board which says: ‘You are in the Marine Conversation Zone, Marine Living Resources Act 1998. Please do not fish or remove any marine life in this area. Please help us preserve this area as a marine nursery and regeneration zone’. Now people come there unsuspecting, and they think it’s an official marine notice and they are really intimidated by it. Please look at this very, very carefully because we cannot allow these privileges to be maintained.

Chairperson, in the one and a half minutes that I have left I also want to raise the issue of the captive-bred or canned-lion hunting. Recently, as a party, we marched with other people in support of a total ban in South Africa of the barbaric practice of captive-bred or canned-lion hunting. Together with the Honourable Chief Whip of the ruling party and members of the portfolio committee I attended a movie called ‘Blood Lions’, where we saw how unscrupulous people in certain parts of the province make money from getting hunters from America and other parts of the Western world to shoot these helpless, domesticated and drugged lions and make a fortune for themselves. I am going to be so bold from this podium to even suggest, madam minister, that there could be officials at different government department levels who are aiding and abetting some of these people to make the kind of money that they earn in dollars and I put it to you that this is a matter that requires further investigation.

There is an organisation called Four Paws who have received over 500,000 hard-copy signed petitions which call for a ban of canned lion hunting. These petitions will be presented to Parliament soon.

Lastly, Chairperson, on the question of Rhino which is another South African treasure under severe threat by poaching syndicates, we require the most stringent protection and criminal sanction and we are glad that recently you have had a team out there assisting in apprehending these perpetrators.

The CITES Conference of Parties will be taking place in Johannesburg towards the end of September, 2016, and we really would like South Africans to support calls to upgrade our Rhino to appendix 1.

Let this be the year that South Africa continues to take a stand on behalf of its environment and animals.

Once again we support this budget vote.