Question NW1541 to the Minister of Environmental Affairs
28 July 2017 - NW1541
Hadebe, Mr TZ to ask the Minister of Environmental Affairs
(1) What is the total number of (a) complaints received and handled and (b) cases investigated by the Environmental Management Inspectorate (EMI) Green Scorpions in the (i) 2015-16 and (ii) 2016-17 financial years; (2) how many Environmental Management Inspectors were (a) trained by her department and (b) received their official designation in the (i) 2015-16 and (ii) 2016-17 financial years; (3) what are the (a) dates and (b) details of any EMI Green Scorpions (i) Blitzes and (ii) Operation Enforcement weeks held in the (aa) 2015-16 and (bb) 2016-17 financial years?
Reply:
Complaints
The national Department is responsible for the management of the national Environmental Crimes and Incidents hotline, which provides an avenue for members of the public to report non-compliances with environmental legislation. Once a complaint is registered, it is then categorised and referred to the appropriate national, provincial or local sphere of government to undertake the necessary follow-up actions. Some complaints may be made directly to these organs of state and would therefore not be registered on the national hotline database.
(1)(a)(i)
The total number of complaints reported to the national environmental crimes and incident hotline in 2015/16 FY was 580. 125 fell within the mandate of national DEA to respond to, while 455 were referred to other spheres of government.
(1)(a)(ii)
In 2016/17, the environmental crime and incident hotline received a total of 842 complaints. Of the total number 227 fell within the mandate of national DEA to respond to, while 615 were referred to other spheres of government.
Cases investigated
(1)(b)(i)
In 2015/16, the Inspectorate (work of both national and provincial Environmental Management Inspectors) registered 1261 criminal investigations.
(1)(b)(ii)
In 2016/17, the Inspectorate (work of both national and provincial Environmental Management Inspectors) registered 1319 criminal investigations.
Environmental Management Inspectors
(2)(a)(i)
In 2015/16 the Department trained 533 officials for the purposes of designation as Environmental Management Inspectors. The Department also trained a further 680 officials, including external role-players, such as magistrates, prosecutors and border management authorities, as well as offering advanced courses for EMIs in specialised topics such as biodiversity crime scene management and pollution and waste sampling.
(2)(a)(ii)
In 2016/17 the Department trained 306 Environmental Management Inspectors in order for them to qualify for designation. The Department also trained a further 1230 officials, including magistrates, prosecutors and border management authorities; as well as advanced EMI courses in biodiversity and pollution and waste investigations, legislative updates and the use of minimum force.
(2)(b)(i)
In 2015/16, 333 EMIs were designated; of those 29 were local authority officials.
(2)(b)(ii)
In 2016/17, 245 EMIs were designated; of those 69 were local authority officials; as follows:
Blitzes and Operations
3(a)(b)(i)(ii)(aa)
The following blitzes / enforcement operations took place in the 2015-16 financial year:
|
Name |
Date |
Description |
|
Pollution & Waste Operations/Blitzes |
||
|
Redisa Tyre Operation |
25/11/2015 – 27/11/2015 |
Joint environmental compliance monitoring inspections (Blitz) were conducted at 6 Redisa Tyres Depots |
|
Galvanisers |
January 2016 |
Joint environmental compliance monitoring inspections (Blitz) were conducted at 20 facilities |
|
Biodiversity Blitzes/Operations |
||
|
AIS Pet shop/ Farm Blitz |
August 2015 |
To ascertain compliance with AIS regulations; and to raise awareness with AIS regulations |
|
Operation Cobra III |
4-28 May 2015 |
Multinational enforcement operation to curb illegal wildlife trafficking |
|
Illicit cross border trade in wildlife operations after training |
Various over the 2015-2016 financial year |
Joint multi-stakeholder operations to combat the illegal transport and trade of wildlife |
|
Marine/Coastal Blitzes/Operations |
||
|
Trekkoskraal, West Coast (under Operation Phakisa) |
24 March 2016 |
To combat illegal camping and driving in coastal public property |
3(a)(b)(i)(ii)(bb)
The following blitzes / enforcement operations took place in the 2016-17 financial year:
|
Name |
Date |
Description |
|
Biodiversity Blitzes/Operations |
||
|
Table Mountain National Park AIS |
23-27 May 2016 |
Table Mountain National Park operation on Alien & Invasive Species, inspection of 32 properties adjacent to the Park |
|
Operation Fezela |
Various – based on planning of projects within the operation |
To combat cycad trafficking |
|
Operation Thunderbird |
30/01/2017 – 19/02/2017 |
Multi-stakeholder joint INTERPOL operation to combat the illegal transport and trade of wildlife by searching aircraft, especially small aircraft, vehicles, luggage and persons |
|
Festive season Operations |
November / December 2016 |
Participated in multi-stakeholder joint operations with the DEA focusing on illegal wildlife trade / alien and invasive species |
|
Joint operations at border posts, linked to training on illicit movement of wildlife species |
Numerous throughout the financial year |
To ascertain compliance with TOPS/ CITES/AIS regulations |
|
Marine/Coastal Blitzes/Operations |
||
|
Operation Phakisa -Initiative 5: Co-ordinated and enhanced compliance and enforcement programme |
Various dates throughout the financial year |
22 x Joint Multi-stakeholder Operations under Operation Phakisa Initiative 5 planned and implemented in 4 coastal Provinces (Northern Cape, Western Cape, Eastern Cape and KZN) focusing on a range of illegal activities |
|
Pollution & Waste Operations/Blitzes |
||
|
Health Care Risk Blitz |
15/11/2016 – 17/11/2016 |
Joint environmental compliance monitoring inspections (Blitz) were conducted at 12 Health Care Risk Waste Treatment facilities |
|
Oil Recyclers |
October 2016 |
Desk-top initiative aimed at increasing compliance by making use of mass circulation of warning letters (51 in total) within this industry |
|
St Helena Bay |
Joint environmental compliance monitoring inspections (Blitz) were conducted at 4 facilities |
|
|
Timber treatment facilities |
December 2016 |
Desk top initiative aimed at increasing compliance by making use of mass circulation of warning letters (78 letters issued) within this industry. |
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