Hansard: NA: Mini-plenary 2
House: National Assembly
Date of Meeting: 18 May 2022
Summary
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Minutes
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VOTE NO 32 – FORESTRY, FISHERIES AND ENVIRONMENT
Watch: Mini-plenary
PROCEEDINGS OF THE MINI-PLENARY SESSION – NATIONAL ASSEMBLY CHAMBER
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Members of the mini-plenary session met on the virtual platform at 14:00.
House Chairperson Mr C T Frolick took the Chair and requested members to observe a moment of silence for prayers or meditation.
The Chairperson announced that the virtual mini-plenary sitting constituted a meeting of the National Assembly.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): Thank you, hon members. Hon members, before we proceed, I would like to remind you that the virtual mini-plenary is deemed to be in the precinct of Parliament and thus constitutes a meeting of the National Assembly for debating purposes only. In addition to the Rules of virtual sittings, the Rules of the National Assembly including the Rules of debate apply. Members enjoy the same powers and privileges that apply to a sitting of the National Assembly. Members should equally note that anything said on the platform is deemed to have been said in the House
and may be ruled upon.
All members who have logged in shall be considered to be present and are requested to mute their microphones and only unmute it when recognised to speak. The microphones are very sensitive and will pick up any noise which might disturb the attention of other members. When recognised to speak, please unmute your microphone and connect your video. Members may also make use of the icons on the bar at the bottom of their screen which has the option that allows a member to put up his or her hand to raise a point of order. The secretariat will assist in this regard. When using the virtual system, members are urged to refrain or desist from unnecessary points of order or interjections. We shall now proceed to the Order, which is a debate on Vote No 32: Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Appropriation Bill. I will now recognise the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment.
APPROPRIATION BILL
Debate on Vote No 32 - Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment:
The MINISTER OF FORESTRY, FISHERIES AND THE ENVIRONMENT: Hon House Chair, our Deputy Minister Ms Makhotso Sotyu, hon chairperson Ms Faith Muthambi and all committee members, chairpersons of the entities reporting to our department, Director-General Ms Nomfundo Tshabalala, chief executive officers, CEOs, of our public entities, ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon. On the night of 11 April, Mrs Thembisa Nomlala an Enviro Champ from the Quarry Road West informal settlement from the City of eThekwini, stood waist deep in water clutching her little grandchild, as she worked to evacuate her fellow residents. Using information from the satellite linked, flood early warning system, she and fellow Enviro Champs were able to save all but one life, as the Palmiet River washed away 450 homes in her community.
Her traumatic experience that awful night illustrates the human tragedy behind the 6th International Panel on Climate Change report. This three-part document confirms climate change induced disasters as the most significant threat to people, economies and the natural world. The suffering of the residents of the Quarry Road West informal settlement illustrates the often quoted reality that women and children in particular, living in conditions of poverty, are most vulnerable to climate change. But Mrs Nomlala and her fellow Enviro Champs who belong to the
Transformative Riverine Management Programme, have an important and powerful message for us: “Vulnerable communities do not have to be totally powerless in the face of climate Change”. Instead, partnerships such as this one, which includes the City of eThekwini, the community of Quarry Road West, and the University of KwaZulu-Natal can play in important role in building climate resilience within vulnerable communities.
As we face the urgency of the climate crisis, climate resilience will need to be built across the system and special attention will need to be paid to particularly vulnerable individuals, households and communities. The current work by the Presidential Climate Commission to support the co-creation a just transition framework for South Africa emphasises tells us that everyone affected must be part of developing the solutions; there must be an equitable distribution of risks and opportunities so that vulnerable workers and communities do not carry the burden and the process can only succeed if it helps us with our broader developmental objectives, namely, economic inclusion, employment and building a more equitable society. While we wait for this esteemed House to consider the Climate Bill, we are putting in place the domestic architecture for climate change mitigation and adaptation. In line with our revised Nationally Determined Contribution, NDC, to reducing green-house gas emissions, we have developed the Sectoral Emission Targets Framework that outlines emission
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reduction goals for key sectors of the economy. The process of
allocating these will start in this financial year.
Two years ago, Cabinet approved the National Climate Change
Adaptation Strategy. Thus far, we have supported all 44
district municipalities to develop climate change adaptation
strategies. Current work includes support to ensure
integration of climate priorities into the integrated
development plans.
A Presidential Climate Finance Task Team, headed by Mr Daniel
Mminele, is leading a technical team to understand the full
details of an offer by developed countries to mobilise
US$8,5 billion over the next three to five years to support
the implementation of our revised NDC.
Recent media coverage has cast doubt on the Weather Service’s
ability to predict severe weather events and protect our
citizens from the impact of climate change. These reports are
untrue. Weather warnings were issued ahead of the floods from
11-12 April and were updated with the intensity of the weather
event.
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To ensure that despite revenue shortfalls, our forecasting
ability is state of the art. We have allocated the South
African Weather Service an amount of R100 million over three
years to upgrade its infrastructure, starting with R15 million
in the last financial year.
As you are aware, we continue to face severe air pollution in
the three highly industrialised priority areas of Vaal
Triangle, Highveld and the Waterberg-Bojanala areas. The
regulations for implementing and enforcing priority air
quality management plans will be published by the end of this
year.
There are presently 10 appeals against the various decisions
by the department’s National Air Quality Officer in relation
to requests for the suspension and postponement of compliance
with the minimum emission standards and the issuing of a
provisional Atmospheric Emission Licences. While some of the
appeals were granted, others were refused. Due to the complex
and conflicting nature of the issues raised in the appeals
received, I am putting in place process in terms of section
3(a) of National Environmental Management Act to advise me on
the appeals. I have already gazetted invitations for
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nominations for a panel of experts to consider both oral and
written evidence on these critical matters.
Hon members, a year ago I released the High Level Panel Report
which reviewed policies, legislation and practices related to
the management, breeding, hunting, trade and handling of
elephant, lion, leopard and rhino.
In June 2021, the department released a draft policy position
for public comment which covered some of the panel’s key
recommendations. The public comment process solicited over
9 000 comments from widely divergent views.
Accordingly, the department decided to proceed with the
development of a White Paper on the Conservation and
Sustainable use of South Africa’s Biodiversity. The White
Paper will be considered by Cabinet in June, where after it
will be published for public comment. We don’t have to wait
for the White Paper to formalise new approaches and practices
in line with the panel’s recommendations. Certain measures can
proceed now on a mutually agreed basis.
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On the issue of the captive lion industry, I intend to
establish a panel of experts to formulate and oversee
implementation of a voluntary exit strategy for those who wish
to participate. I believe that by engaging and working with
stakeholders, we can develop a voluntary strategy that can
mitigate risks, including the effect on the local economy, job
creation and the welfare and wellbeing of the lions
themselves. This panel will have clearly defined terms of
reference, and tight timelines, so that effect can be given to
the High Level Panel recommendations, and the decision
emanating from the 2018 Parliamentary Colloquium on lions.
South Africa also needs a species recovery plan for white
rhino, which considers the poaching crisis, and the potential
we have to breed of white rhino in controlled environments for
conservation purposes, in support of conserving rhino in
extensive systems. I believe that such a plan can be developed
in partnership with private rhino owners. Having considered
this matter, requested Sanparks to lead the development of
such a recovery plan as a key element of their work in this
financial year.
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Parliament has approved an amendment to the National
Environmental Management Biodiversity Act, which will enable
the development of legislation at national level relating to
the wellbeing of wildlife. We are in the process of
establishing a wildlife welfare forum that will promote
biodiversity conservation and the ecologically sustainable,
responsible and humane use and management of wildlife.
Hon members, I am pleased to announce today that we have
settled 58 out of 66 land claims within protected areas that
were identified for speedy resolution during the 8th People
and Parks Conference held in Limpopo in 2018. My special
appreciation goes to the Land Claims Commission and Minister
Ms Thoko Didiza for her leadership.
Of great concern to me are the unresolved land claims in the
Kruger National Park. I want to commend the board of Sanparks
and the management of the Kruger National Park for the new
energy which is being displayed in meeting with traditional
authorities to conclude the complex land claims in a more
inclusive manner which is of greater benefit to the
communities involved.
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iSimangaliso Wetland Park and Sanparks, earlier this year,
hosted investor conferences to attract private sector
investment in new and existing tourism opportunities. Both
investment conferences come at a crucial time in our country’s
overall Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan in which
tourism recovery and growth features in the top five
priorities together with infrastructure investment and green
economy initiatives. We look forward to the projects
introduced to investors supporting accelerated job creation in
the rural communities bordering our parks where currently few
other opportunities for sustainable livelihoods exist.
In an effort to create more work opportunities for the local
communities living adjacent to our protected areas and support
for small and medium enterprises, this year, the department
will invest more in the protection and conservation of natural
resources. Through a partnership with Sanparks, SA National
Biodiversity Institute, SANBI, and iSimangaliso, we will
create 8 315 work opportunities through our Natural Resource
Management Portfolio aimed at managing invasive species,
restoring degraded dryland areas as well as rehabilitating
degraded wetlands.
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Furthermore, we will create 2 646 more work opportunities in
the protected areas through our Environmental Protection and
Infrastructure Programme, which will upgrade and refurbish
infrastructure in protected areas and botanical gardens.
Hon members, keeping our country clean and ridding our
environment of unwanted and unsightly waste remains an
important part of our commitment to provide a healthy
environment for all.
We have, in the past year, promulgated the regulations on
mandatory extended producer responsibility with the aim to
lessen the burden on landfills. The regulations for organic
waste treatment, and organic waste composting, have also been
published for implementation in order to divert waste away
from landfills and create new industries.
To improve waste management in municipalities, the department
is assisting in the development of their Integrated Waste
Management Plans, and training on sustainable waste management
practices.
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The department is also providing 22 vehicles to 19
municipalities across the country. With a total value of over
R42 million. These vehicles include skip loader trucks, front
end loaders, compactor trucks and other trucks required to
transport waste within these areas.
Through our provincial and municipal support initiative, the
Municipal Cleaning and Greening Programme undertaken in the
past financial year addressed public education and littering
in 36 municipalities across the country. In all, 3000 work
opportunities were created as we improved environmental
health.
Fishers are an important contributor to food security and
local growth. In the past year, we have faced a number of
challenges related to not only the allocation of fishing
rights, but also with regards to the alleged effects of
seismic blasting on the ocean and fishing resources. All of
these are being addressed head-on.
To ensure fishing co-operatives are more sustainable, our
department is developing support programmes in collaboration
with the Department of Small Business Development and a number
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of local municipalities, which this year, will focus on
business acumen, financial management and improvement in value
chain. We will further facilitate the purchasing of fishing
equipment for co-operatives that are in need.
The results of the 2021 Fishing Rights Allocation Process,
FRAP, process were published on the 28th February. We are now
dealing with the appeals. We are appointing an independent
appeals team to advise me as the appeals authority on the
merits of each and every appeal to ensure the process is fair
and is concluded on time. I therefore urge all potential
appellants and interested and affected parties to lodge their
appeals on or before the cut-off time of midnight on 29 May
2022.
The impact of ocean-based seismic surveys on our marine
protected areas and on the fishing industry is a major issue
in the public domain. These surveys have been undertaken along
our coastline since the 1950s, and South Africa has
contributed to the body of foundational science on the issue.
To ensure mitigation measures protect both our ecosystems and
our fishing resources, the department intends to develop a
research programme on seismic surveys and their impacts in our
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local waters. We will start this year by looking back to
determine if there are observable impacts in ocean areas where
seismic surveys have already taken place over the last few
years.
Addressing the poaching of our country’s wildlife and plant
species has been prioritised by government with provinces and
sectors hard hit by these crimes receiving extensive support
from the department. Early in February, we reflected on the
rhino poaching statistics. While we acknowledged the steady
decline in poaching in the Kruger National Park, we also noted
that poaching pressure has shifted across the country and
KwaZulu-Natal has become a key target area.
As a result of the alarming rate of poaching in that province,
key departmental resources have been deployed to actively
support Ezemvelo KwaZulu-Natal Wildlife and the SAPS. This
includes assistance to intelligence gathering and joint
investigations, support to law enforcement officials and joint
operations managers, including the nerve centre in Hluhluwe-
Imfolozi Park which is part of the integrated wildlife zones.
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With regard with the work being done by the priority committee
under Initiative 5 of Operation Phakisa, a key concern remains
the fact that the high demand and high prices paid for
abalone. A similar concern is the continued illegal removal of
West Coast rock lobster from our oceans. Thus the department
continues to focus its enforcement efforts on countering these
illegal activities.
In order to refocus our effort around the management of the
abalone resource and how best to prevent and combat the
illicit trade, the department together with a broad range of
stakeholders will be developing an inclusive and holistic
strategic response and action plan for the prevention and
combatting of trade in illegally harvested abalone.
Let me conclude by thanking our Deputy Minister Ms Makhotso
Sotyu, for her energy and support in all areas of our
department’s work. My sincere thanks go to our Director-
General Ms Nomfundo Tshabalala, for her consistent and
thorough management of the many complex and varied tasks she
leads.
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I express my profound thanks to the team forestry, fisheries
and the environment as well as the board chairpersons, chief
executive officers and managers of our entities for all their
dedication to environmental matters and sustainable use of our
country’s natural resources.
Last but not least, my thanks go to our portfolio committee
led by the indomitable hon Faith Muthambi who always keeping
us on our toes. I thank you.
Ms A F MUTHAMBI: Hon House Chairperson, greetings to you, hon
Minister Creecy, Deputy Minister Sotyu, hon colleagues from
the portfolio committee members, and fellow colleagues, hon
members, the environmental sector family, ladies and
gentlemen, may I take this moment to extend to all of you on
behalf of the Portfolio Committee on Forestry, Fisheries and
Environment a warm welcome to this annual Debate of the Budget
Vote of the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and
Environmental Affairs.
House Chairperson, I would like to start this debate by
thanking all the members of the portfolio committee for their
unwavering commitment to protect our environment for the sake
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of both current and future generations of South Africans and
also to appreciate the support that your office has always
given to us. The integrity of our fellow committee members,
diligence and intellectual vigour and the frankness with which
they participated in the discussions on this budget and
associated annual performance plans of the department and
entities are truly phenomenal and have led to this budget
debate today.
Despite having not worked together with them from the very
start of this Sixth Parliamentary cycle, this being my first
budget debate in the Portfolio Committee on Environment,
Forestry and Fisheries, we have worked exceptionally well as a
committee in the short time we have been there. I have no
reservation in my mind whatsoever that we will continue
working together irrespective of our political affiliations
and emerge as one in the quest of protecting our environment.
We might not always agree on certain details of how certain
things have to be done, such as passing of this budget at the
committee level, but there is much scope for us to agree on
strategic issues pertaining to the environment, because
environmental sustainability benefits us all and environmental
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degradation be it on land, at sea or in the atmosphere costs
us all despite of our political affiliations. You will all
agree with me that the recent catastrophic floods in KwaZulu-
Natal, widely considered as a climate-induced, touched all of
us as South Africans. You could not possibly see those
pictures and the devastation without a deep sense of pain and
compassion arising from within you.
Hon Chairperson, the critical role that this broader
environmental portfolio, comprising fisheries and forestry
plays in our lives is contained in section 24 of our
Constitution, which obliges us all – in civil society and
government – to, “secure ecologically sustainable
development”. The Constitution set in motion a range of
policies and procedures to overthrow improper assumptions that
resources such as plant and animal products and air quality,
among others, will always be available no matter how we live,
produce and consume them.
Similarly, we have viewed our rivers, seas, land and air as
unending sinks for increasing amounts of solid, liquid or
airborne wastes despite the fact that the increasing
degradation of our natural resources clearly indicates these
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sinks can no longer cope. In short, we must protect and in
certain cases improve the quality of our environmental
resources to continue sustaining us both directly. For
example, we need clean air to be alive and fisheries for food,
and indirectly we need our biodiversity to support our tourism
and or hospitality industry that provides us with employment
to contribute towards our poverty alleviation efforts.
Despite this constitutional imperative for sustainable
development and creative body of legislation to achieve this,
our country’s broader environmental sector encompassing
forestry and fisheries resources continue to be subjected to
sustained pressure in the face of diminishing environmental
assets relative to growing competing demands. Global warming
and climate variability, loss of biodiversity,
desertification-led and invasive alien species-related land
degradation, waste pollution and littering, population growth,
urbanization and air pollution, are serious environmental and
resource stressors that need focused and increased resource
commitment.
These problems present a challenge to our government beyond
the jurisdiction of the department. For example, if you look
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at the budget allocation for the department in the 2022/23
financial year it is 0,41% of the overall government
expenditure of R2,16 trillion, down from 0,43% of
R2,02 trillion in 2021. The inflation figures from the SA
Reserve Bank show that the level of funding for the department
has been consistent since 2016/17, with no significant upward
deviation, ranging between 0,40 and 0,45% of the national
expenditure. The seemingly stable trend in the budgeted
expenditure of the department is merely based on nominal
allocations, without giving due consideration to inflation.
Furthermore, the transfer of the Forestry and Fisheries
branches or programmes of the former Department of
Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries to the department,
effective on 01 April 2020, as part of the national macro-
organisation of government, has not improved the overall
budget outlook of the department in a significant manner.
When we look at the department’s level of responsibility for
‘ocean governance and protection services’ over South Africa’s
very large Exclusive Economic Zone, EEZ with an extent of
about 1.5 million square kilometres, more than the land
surface of the country, in light of the current budget, one
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wonders whether the department is properly equipped to execute
these noble tasks on our behalf as a country, let alone the
securing of the integrity of our recently declared Marine
Protected Areas, MPAs.
House Chairperson, I know that Parliament has the power of the
purse and hence we have the ability to amend budgets, which
are tabled in Parliament. However, such an approach would not
be sustainable in the long run. What is more sustainable is
the proper appraisal of the broader environmental sector by
those in our budget committees to make such relevant and
appropriate decisions on funding of this crucial sector.
However, having interacted with you, hon Minister and your
team during the processing of this Budget Vote 32, we are
satisfied that the department is in capable hands, considering
the calibre of the executive management and technical
personnel under your executive leadership and authority, and
also your assurance to the members of the committee that the
Department was working toward the attainment of a clean audit.
We recognise that the Department fulfils its mandate mainly
through policy-making on matters of forestry, fisheries and
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environment, and also through co-ordination and monitoring of
the implementation of national environmental policies,
programmes and legislation with the additional support from
its five entities. These are, iSimangaliso Wetland Park
Authority, the SA National Biodiversity Institute, Sanbi, SA
National Parks, SANParks, the SA Weather Service, Saws, and
Marine Living Resources Fund, MLRF. We considered and
appreciated the purposeful structuring of the department into
nine programmes to ensure the effective achievement of its
constitutional mandate. It is easy to see that the nine
different programmes and their purposes are reflective of the
different focus areas and subsectors of environment
management, which is truly commendable in the light of ongoing
challenges that face all the different aspects of this sector.
Hon Chairperson, our forestry, fisheries and environment are
key to our survival, whichever wat we look at. For example,
the way in which we respond to the threats of climate change
would influence whether we can continue to export our
agricultural produce to our traditional markets up north
without being subjected to carbon border tax adjustments.
Similarly, the way how we manage our biodiversity and maintain
our status as an iconic biodiversity conservation-destination
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country would define whether we continue to receive increasing
numbers of international tourists or not.
We are so linked with the other parts of the world that we
conserve our natural resources not just for ourselves, but for
everybody. The environment does more than just providing raw
materials for economic production or serving as a sink for
pollutants that derive from the various facets of our economic
activity. It is in this regard that we argue that the
contribution of the environment must be holistically evaluated
in deciding the levels of funding for this invaluable sector,
considering the supportive nature of this sector to other
economically viable sectors and also the positive impact that
the environment has on our well-being or health, which is
succinctly stated in section 24(a) of our Constitution.
House Chairperson, having considered the budget and annual
performance plan of the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and
Environment, I conclude my speech by rising on behalf of the
ANC and hopefully on behalf of my very own committee to
support this Budget Vote 32 allocation for the 2022/23
financial year, with the allocation of R8,947 billion, as
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tabled on 23 February 2022. Thank you so much House
Chairperson.
Mr D W BRYANT: Chairperson, six months ago the world met in
Glasgow, Scotland for the 26th United Nations Conference of
the Parties on Climate Change. The conference was held as a
weary and battered international community started to slowly
emerge from the global COVID-19 crisis. Many important
commitments were made at the congress and none more important
for South Africa than the $8,5 billion commitment by the US,
UK, French and German governments to help South Africa
transition away from coal-based power towards cleaner forms of
energy. Six months since this pledge was made, we are facing a
new global crisis following the vicious and unprovoked Russian
attack on Ukraine. This unjust assault on a sovereign nation
has directly impacted the price of energy across the world and
has accelerated a global scramble for additional renewable
energy resources.
South Africa had six months to process the $8,5 billion offer
and should be way ahead of the pack, or so one would assume.
Unfortunately, this is not the case. Our portfolio committee
recently heard that six months later, the government is “still
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analysing the details” of the pledge and is waiting on
guidance from the Cabinet as to whether or not to accept the
assistance. It is worth being reminded that South Africa
remains the world's 12th highest emitter of greenhouse gases,
at least 40% of which are produced by old coal-fired power
stations.
This generous and altruistic offer of assistance will help to
fast-track our just transition towards a greener and more
sustainable future. But it appears that while some Ministers
seem to grasp the challenges we are facing, there are others
who are stuck in the Jurassic period, refusing to accept help
or acknowledge the growing international backlash against
coal-based energy. Last month, over 400 people were killed by
the unprecedented floods in Durban. The rainfall appears to be
between 4% and 8% more intense than normal, and this has been
attributed directly to climate change by leading climate
scientists from the University of Cape Town.
These extreme weather fluctuations are being felt across the
globe. But the impact will be all the more catastrophic for
the developing world. Severe drought events are also
increasing across South Africa, even though they may not be
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attracting the same levels of attention as Cape Town did in
2018 during its drought crisis. Municipalities like
Kgetlengrivier in the North West Province, which has been
facing a day-zero scenario for the past five years with
ongoing water shortages, as a result of poor planning by the
local ANC-controlled government.
The impact of the increased weather fluctuations caused by
climate change will only serve to increase the social
volatility in these already desperate municipalities. It is
now glaringly evident that climate change is not something
that will happen to our kids and our grandkids alone, as
evidenced by the severity of the recent floods and droughts.
Climate change is happening right now. It is vital that we
prioritise the Climate Change Bill, which is now before
Parliament, and ensure that we are able to build climate
change resilience to both mitigation and adaptation strategies
into our integrated government plans going forward.
A key challenge identified during the Durban floods was the
functioning of the early warning systems of the SA Weather
Service, SAWS. Representatives from SAWS have admitted
recently in media reports that their stations are unstable and
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functioned intermittently due to ongoing poor maintenance. We
have heard from SAWS that some warnings were issued prior to
the Durban flood, but it appears that these may not have been
properly communicated to all the parties. Either way, how can
we have confidence in the ability of SAWS to predict large-
scale weather events if, as reported, their stations keep
breaking down?
A significant amount of budget has been allocated for capital
projects in SAWS but it is essential that the maintenance of
the existing stations is urgently prioritised. All indications
are that the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the
Environment is heading for another qualified audit opinion.
The department has not improved the overall quality of
performance reporting and incurred a billion rand of irregular
expenditure. The department continues to both overpay and at
the same time fail to make payments across the board.
Whilst we appreciate that irregular expenditure has been
reported for investigation, we would again call for more
effective consequence management. The people of South Africa
simply deserve better and the officials who perform their
duties negligently, fraudulently or maliciously, must be held
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to account. Rhino numbers in Sanparks managed Kruger Park has
decreased by 75% over the past 10 years under this
administration, and the officials have admitted that these
numbers will likely continue to drop. The cruel illusion of
lower poaching numbers is now likely only due to the fact that
there are so few rhinos left to poach in the park.
The vast majority of the illegally trafficked horn is going to
China, and it is high time that this government increases the
pressure on the Chinese government and compels them to do
their bit to combat the flow of horn into their country.
Sanparks continues to stockpile masses of trimmed horn and
secret caches across the country and we need to know what the
future of these stockpiles is, and whether this stock is being
pilfered. It is important to make special mention of our brave
Sanparks rangers who put their lives on the line every and
form the thin green line in the battle against poaching.
Unfortunately, these anti-poaching teams in the Kruger will
continue to be on the back foot while 87 ranger posts remain
unfilled. The surrounding rural communities are desperate for
jobs and the ongoing vacancies are simply unacceptable.
Sanparks senior management has admitted that they are
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overstretched and do not have the resources at their disposal
to properly protect their animals. The financial hardship and
low morale among the rangers have sadly led to some staff
being lured into working with the poaching syndicates and
recent investigations have exposed sophisticated criminal
networks operating within Sanparks.
The DA continues to call for the proper implementation of
polygraph testing for Sanparks staff to disincentivise rangers
from working with poachers. The CEO of Sanparks remains
suspended on full pay while his internal disciplinary process
drags on. And this must be resolved as a matter of urgency in
the interest of all parties involved.
Many landfill sites across the country remain in terrible
condition with at least four illegal landfills currently being
investigated by the department. There is an urgent need to
prioritise both the approval of new landfills and the
maintenance and improvement of existing landfills across the
country. The government must do better in decreasing the
amount of waste going into landfills by promoting and
facilitating separation at source projects. It is not right
that the private sector continues to import large amounts of
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plastic waste from the Southern African Development Community,
SADC, countries to fill their recycling plants while we
contribute a comparatively small amount.
Plastic waste clogs up our landfills, ends up in oceans and
wetlands and is ingested by wildlife. The government should be
aggressively rolling out recycling initiatives across the
country, and it is high time that we follow the example of
other African countries like Kenya and implement a complete
ban on single-use plastic bags instead of having to continue
to conduct oversight and monitoring of the ineffective Plastic
Bag Tax, which was recently exposed to be dogged by
R10 million in fraudulent activity.
The fallout from the UPL fire that followed the riots last
year, has resulted in the complete devastation of the Umhlanga
Lagoon and its surrounds. The majority of indigenous wildlife
has been killed and it will take many years before any sort of
rehabilitation is possible. The response from the local
municipality was unfortunately woefully inadequate and we
simply cannot allow for this to happen again. It is heartening
to hear that an Action Plan has now been developed to deal
with land invasions in forestry plantations, and this has been
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identified as a significant barrier to improving the forestry
sector. Again, it appears that there is a lack of agreement in
the Cabinet as to who should bear the responsibility to
address certain land invasions and plantations, specifically
in Grabouw in the Western Cape.
Whilst many South Africans struggles with unemployment and
rising inflation, 33 posts have been removed from the forestry
branch, which will make the roll-out of the Forestry Master
Plan more difficult. The forestry sector has the potential to
create many new jobs yet the department appear to have done
away with its ambitious job targets which appears to show that
the potential growth in this sector is still a long way away.
There remains a target to plant 120 000 trees for the coming
year which appears to be setting the department up for failure
when they were only able to plant 40 000 trees in previous
years. How they will now plant three times this with the
limited staff has yet to be seen. The department has shrunk
the budget for the Marine Protected Areas and reduced the
budget of the Monitoring, Control and Surveillance
subprogramme. This will inevitably affect enforcement
operations and it appears that the department is effectively
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giving up on the fight against the poaching of crayfish and
abalone while local communities continue to be wracked by the
impacts of the criminal gangs and drugs associated with
poaching. The results of the long-awaited Fishing Rights
Allocation Process have left much traditional fisherfolk
without any income and no exemptions to continue to fish while
their appeals are being heard. We sincerely hope that the
Minister will take their appeals seriously at the end of this
month, and not leave more families destitute in these
increasingly desperate economic times.
Of all the directorates, biodiversity and conservation are
getting the worst deal. This was supposed to be a priority
area and was originally mentioned as such by the President
during his honeymoon phase, yet it seems the tune has now
changed. We have seen the budget for biodiversity and
conservation being reduced by 14% in 21-22 and now a whopping
58,4% reduction for 22-23. This is a massive blow to our
fragile ecosystems. Finally, the dithering over the future of
the Ezemvelo Estuary Mouth brought many local farmers to the
brink of destitution. And led to land invasions earlier in the
year onto the surrounding park. The government was only saved
by the natural breaching of the mouth which was caused by the
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unprecedented flooding in April. The DA welcomes the steps
taken to finalise and publish the White Paper on Conservation
and the Sustainable Use of Biological Diversity emanating from
the High Level Panel report on the management of lion,
elephant, leopard and rhino. The implementation of the report
has been long outstanding and has caused anxiety and
uncertainty for many, and it is good to see that steps are
being taken to address it.
We would also like to commend the Minister on her conciliatory
approach to issues that involve the communities, particularly
regarding outstanding land claims. And the steps taken to
include the welfare and the wellbeing of the wildlife must
also be commended. While some steps have been taken in the
right direction, the weight of the challenges faced within the
Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment and its
entities are manifold. Real progress will only start to happen
when there is a willingness to address the core issues within
many of the directorates, and an agreement within the Cabinet
on key issues such as climate change, conservation and
biodiversity. We do not have the luxury of time anymore, and
decisive and courageous steps must now be taken by the
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government to pull our environment back from the brink. Thank
you.
Mr M N PAULSEN: House Chairperson, the EFF rejects Budget Vote
32 on Forestry, Fisheries and Environment. Section 2J of the
Marine Living Resources Act, MLRA, states, and I quote:
The need to restructure the fishing industry to address
the historical imbalances and to achieve equity in all
branches of the fishing industry.
Furthermore, section 18(5) of the MLRA states:
In granting any right referred to in subsection 1, the
Minister shall, in order to achieve the objectives
contemplated in section 2, have particular regard to the
need to permit new entrants, particularly those of the
historically disadvantaged sectors of society.
Chairperson, these two sections are the cornerstones for the
transformation of the fishing industry, and enable the
Minister to introduce new entrants into the various fishing
sectors. But yet, existing rights holders from most of the
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basket of species in Fishing Rights Allocation Process, FRAP,
2022 were the usual suspects; I&J, Sea Harvest and Oceana. For
the three of the top high value species, hake deep sea, squid
and south coast rock lobster, there were eight new successful
entrants out of thousands that submitted applications.
Many fishers registered companies that made application for
FRAP 2022 and very few of them had any success. Fishing is
being deliberately moved away from the traditional coastal
communities to service the higher end market. There was a time
when most fish were caught by coastal fishing communities,
where it was not just a livelihood but also a form of
socialisation for those communities. Traditional fishers used
to donate excess fish to orphanages and old age homes. Under
the current government, fishing is now being fully
commercialised, breaking down the social bonds that
traditional fishing communities once had, and stripping these
communities of their livelihoods.
Fishing used to bind our communities together. Coastal fishing
communities are not high-end income communities; they had no
desire to take more than is needed. Species such as crayfish,
abalone and hottentot or cape bream used to be poor men’s
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fish, but due to its popularity among the poor working class,
commercial fishing companies, in collusion with government,
quickly seized the opportunity.
This ANC-led government and all its Ministers responsible for
fishing have prioritised commercial interests and robbed
coastal fishing communities of their livelihoods. In addition
to the species allocated, the department also allows fishing
companies lodged by catchers which could otherwise sustain the
small-scale fishing industry. For example, hake deep sea
trawlers will also catch snoek that could otherwise sustain
all small-scale fishers for two to three years.
The fisheries management branches never delivered services
timeously due to human capacity shortages. The FRAP 2020
became FRAP 2022 and not FRAP 2021, and this is due to the
staff shortages, and the departmental plan shows there will be
a further 36 reduced from the already understaffed branch.
The courts had to instruct the department to create access for
small-scale fishers that were side-lined by the MLRA because
it was so focused on commercial fishers. But we know that it
was not only the ANC that sold-out small-scale fishers, but it
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is a fact that the Congress of South African Trade Unions,
COSATU, was involved in drafting the MLRA.
The ANC and its alliance party as COSATU are responsible for
the poverty, unemployment and inequality small-scale fishers
are suffering. Since 2012 when the Small-scale Fishing Policy
was approved, commercial fishers were allocated fishing rights
three times; 2013, 2015 and 2022 while small-scale fishers are
still waiting for the first fishing rights allocation to be
concluded. The same injustices exist in forestry where smaller
growers and forestry communities were not even considered when
the National Forestry Act was crafted.
House Chairperson, through the Working on Fire programme we
are able to create employment for many more young people, but
because this government does not have capacity, contractors
are taking the bulk of the money through the outsourced
Expanded Public Works Programme.
House Chairperson, when it comes to waste pickers, they are
saving us money at a local government level by collecting and
sorting waste. The money that these municipalities save should
be invested in waste pickers.
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Lastly, House Chairperson, I would like to address this
department’s approach to climate change. If we had a
functional government, we would have proper mitigation
strategies in place that would have saved those more than 400
lives that were lost due to government’s negligence in the
recent floods on the east coast. It is for these reasons that
the EFF rejects this Budget, just like the voters in Phokwane
and Mahikeng overwhelmingly rejected the ANC in the recent
byelections in favour of the EFF. Thank you very much.
Mr N SINGH: Hon House Chairperson, time will not allow me to
reflect on all the programmes that this department is
responsible for. However, let me start by saying that as the
IFP we once again extend our condolences to families of lost
loved ones during the devastating floods in KwaZulu-Natal and
other parts of the country. Our hearts also go out to those
families who are still trying to locate loved ones buried in
tons of debris. Finding these remains will certainly bring
some sort of closure and be of some comfort to them.
House Chairperson, never has it been so imperative that we
take drastic action as a country, region, continent and as one
humanity to mitigate the ever-encroaching disastrous effects
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of climate change. Terms such as deforestation, global
warming, carbon capture and corridors, plastics pollution, the
green economy and sustainable development must become the norm
rather than the exception, and forefront in our minds as we
govern and holistically enact laws and regulation for the
benefit of our present and future generations.
House Chairperson, we recently witnessed the devastation and
tragedy caused by an extreme weather event which has been
directly attributed by scientists as a consequence and effect
of climate change. Such devastation will take years to recover
from, and is compounded by the fact that we remain in the
midst of the current COVID-19 global health crisis. This is
sadly contrasted with extreme water shortages in other parts
of the province and country. For example, the residents in
Bergville situated along the mighty Tugela River have no water
in their taps as the limited resource is being directed to
Johannesburg to Minister Barbara Creecy and others.
We are in a crisis; climate change is real and we are
beginning to see the inconvenient truth that a hotter planet
is a more extreme one and that, if left unchecked, an
unliveable one. According to the World Meteorological
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Organisation, the year 2020 was one of the three warmest years
recoded globally.
What we need is a people-centric approach together with the
requisite enabling legislation and regulation which will be
central towards achieving success. It is imperative therefore
that the long due Climate Change Bill, which is currently
before the portfolio committee, be urgently passed. This Bill
cannot linger in Parliament. Additionally, it is crucial that
all stakeholders be consulted and that the Bill reflects
strong enforcement measures. Above all, we need to ensure
strong consequence management of these legislative tools. We
cannot continue to draft and publish policies and legislation
but fail to properly enforce these measures.
The IFP has repeatedly called for the establishment of
specialist “green” courts to deal with environmental crime as
this remains the only feasible solution to dealing effectively
with criminals and syndicates that target environmental
resources like the rhinos.
UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties, COP26, focussed
on climate change and deforestation and good work was done,
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but this momentum must be continued now more than ever,
despite the hardships and ongoing challenges we are having
because of the impact of COVID-19. Public and private
partnerships will be essential as find sustainable solutions
together as a nation.
Initiatives such as the One Billion Trees for Africa which is
a local community ecosystems restoration action which seeks to
grow indigenous trees and develop non-timber-based products
value chain using integrated agroforestry practices is an
example of what should be happening at community and local
government level, and it has to be assisted by business as
well as provincial and national government. In welcoming this
initiative, one has to be very careful that we do not disrupt
the lives of communities that rely on this land for
agriculture and grazing processes. If one looks at the rest of
Africa and maybe in our own country, there is conflict between
communities and those that are trying to achieve carbon
credits to deforestation.
House Chairperson, it also remains imperative that we place
ourselves upon a net-zero emissions trajectory and commence
establishing sustainable and renewable “green” power sector
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initiatives which will not only ensure power generation
capacity to the ever-increasing demand for supply, but also
reach our off grid rural communities.
Development and climate change ambitions must not be seen as a
zero-sum game where we can have only one or the other, but
rather seen as the two necessary pillars of a sustainable and
renewable future for South Africa.
House Chairperson, lastly, I can see you coming up to me now,
the Paris Agreement highlighted a number of issues, and we
need to make sure that we can implement all these issues. I
also want to say that this department has an extremely
important role to play in the biggest scheme of things. It
needs more money, but for now we will support this Budget.
Thank you very much.
Ms T BREEDT: Chairperson, seven years ago, this department was
apparently a high performing organisation. After its fall from
grace, strides have been made to improve it and its audit
outcomes, but we are not in the clear yet. Especially taking
climate change and the recent KwaZulu-Natal floods into
account, more needs to be done by this department.
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Afrikaans:
Ek moet wel byvoeg dat ek hoop het vir hierdie department met
Minister Creecy en haar span aan’t stuur daarvan. Die afgelope
dieselbesoedeling in die Thabo Mofutsanyane en Fezile Dabi
Distrikte in die Vrystaat is ’n bewys van haar êrns oor die
omgewing en daadwerklike optrede om probleme aan te spreek.
English:
The budget allocation to the department is 0,41% of the
overall government expenditure. It is down from 0,43% in 2021.
Afrikaans:
Hierdie departement het ’n kwynende begroting en dis
kommerwekkend. Ja, hierdie is nie onderwys of gesondheid of
selfs landbou nie. Maar ons gaan moet begin besef dat sonder
die werk wat hierdie departement en sy entiteite vermag, gaan
voedselsekuriteit al hoe verder uit ons bereik wees, ons almal
se gesondheid in gedrang wees en voor ons ons oë uitvee gaan
skole en ons bestaan iets van die verlede wees.
English:
Consequently, the Department received a budget allocation of
R8,947 billion for the 2022-23 financial year, which indicates
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a nominal decrease of 1,67%, which translates to over R151
million from the 2021-22 allocation.
In nominal terms, four programmes received an increased
allocation. It is welcomed that Regulatory Compliance and
Sector Monitoring as well as chemicals and waste management
have increased budgets, especially looking at the state of our
municipal landfill sites, as previously mentioned.
Conversely, the reduction of funds affected five programmes:
Oceans and Coasts; Climate Change, Air Quality and Sustainable
Development; Biodiversity and Conservation; Forestry
Management; and Fisheries Management.
Afrikaans:
Alhoewel die programme wat verhoogde begrotings ontvang het
belangrik is, en ’n argument uitgemaak kan word dat hulle dit
moet ontvang, kan ons nie ná wat in KwaZulu-Natal gebeur het,
dieselfde kyk na die programme wat verlaagde begrotings
ontvang nie. Ons kan nog minder dit aanvaar in ag genome die
geweldige skade wat aangerig is, die agterstand wat Suid-
Afrika in terme van gereedheid vir rampe en voorbereiding teen
klimaatsverandering het.
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Dit is verder net so belangrik om ons seelewe te bestuur en te
bewaar. Ook om te verseker dat sekere visspesies nie uitsterf
as gevolg van oorvangs daarvan nie. Suid-Afrika kan nie
bekostig om soos ander lande in Afrika, byvoorbeeld Tanzanië
en Zanzibar, ’n bewaringskrisis te beleef as gevolg van
oorvangs en die spandabelrige omgang van ons met ons omgewing
nie.
Ons kan ook wel nie bekostig om van ons riviere te vergeet
nie. Die departement moet kennis neem van die hordes
wanfunksionele rioolaanlegte in munisipaliteite wat tot
rivierbesoedeling lei en dit prioritiseer.
English:
Although there is a budget increase to five of the entities
and that is welcomed, it is worrying that the one entity that
has a decreased transfer is the South African Weather Service.
As stated above, we cannot afford to not prioritise our
knowledge of the changing weather patterns in and around South
Africa. We need to prioritise our radar infrastructure for
this.
Afrikaans:
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Volgens die kenners gaan die ooste van Suid-Afrika nog meer
ekstreme weersomstandighede in die komende jare ervaar. Ons
het gesien dat die Noord-Kaap van teisterende multi-jaar
droogtes na ’n miggieplaag gaan. Miggieplae word slegs in die
natse weersonstandighede, soos in Skotland, aangetref.
Nelson Mandelabaai in die Oos-Kaap is ‘n paar dae van dag-zero
af, terwyl ander gedeeltes van dieselfde provinsie saam met
KwaZulu-Natal weggespoel het.
English:
Ban Ki-Moon, Former Secretary-General of UN once said:
“Climate change is the single greatest threat to a sustainable
future but, at the same time, addressing the climate challenge
presents a golden opportunity to promote prosperity, security
and a brighter future for all.”
Afrikaans:
Dit is verder net so kommerwekkend dat biodiversiteit en
bewaring se begroting aan die verklein is, veral aangesien
stropery steeds ’n geweldige probleem is en aandag gaan moet
geniet om die bewaring van ons groot vyf te verseker.
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Ook visseryebestuur wat self ongelooflike uitdagings in terme
van ons seelewe, vissersregte, ensovoorts ervaar gaan in die
toekoms na gekyk moet word.
So kan ons verder ook na die program van Lugkwaliteit en
volhoubare ontwikkeling kyk en moet ons van die afgelope
#DeadlyAir-hofsaak van The Centre for Environmental Rights
teen die departement onthou. Dit sal nie wys wees om nie die
nodige befondsing daar te stel vir lugkwaliteit bestuur nie.
English:
But let me conclude, by polluting the oceans, not mitigating
CO2 emissions and destroying our biodiversity, we are killing
our planet. Let us face it, there is no planet B.
Mr W M THRING: Hon House Chairperson, the ACDP asserts that
South Africa is a blessed nation. Together with our human
resource, we are blessed with an abundance of mineral wealth.
We have a coastline of 2 800km, presided over by two great
oceanic systems: a powerful Mozambique current on one side of
the continent and the Benguela current on the other. This
department is the custodian of South Africa’s indigenous,
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woodlands and plantation forest resources which covers over 50
million hectares.
What we must not allow, is for a blessing to become a curse.
The late world renown leader, Dr Myles Munroe, taught that
when God created the earth, the rain was held back because
there was no one to manage it. He further eloquently stated
that what we fail to manage, we will lose.
The ACDP wishes to make it abundantly clear, that if this
department fails to implement fiscal discipline and cost
effectiveness for the common good of all South African
citizens, and fails to manage our state resources effectively,
we will suffer loss.
The department is mandated to give effect to the right of
citizens to an environment that is not harmful to their health
or well-being, and to have the environment protected for the
benefit of present and future generations. Even though the
budget has been decreased by R1,221 billion to R8,716 billion,
this mandate must be respected and taken seriously. Accounting
officers must be held accountable and failed audits, resulting
in irregular, fruitless and wasteful expenditure should never
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be normalised. Where necessary, consequence management must
follow.
The ACDP welcomes the increased budgetary allocation for the
Regulatory Compliance and Sector Monitoring, responsible for
enforcement, compliance, and co-ordination. We must protect
our oceans and coastlands and not allow them to become looting
and toxic waste dumping grounds for foreign nations. We must
preserve all our forests, for in so doing, we protect our
biodiversity. We must protect our air quality and not allow
uncontrolled cloud seeding and weather control experiments
over our skies and neither should industries be allowed to
spew their toxic waste into our rivers and oceans.
As I conclude, we must remember that we will lose what we fail
to manage. Over the last 28 years, under the ruling party,
much has been lost. Now, that needs to be regained. I thank
you.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): Thank you, hon member.
Hon members, I will just amend the speaker’s list to allow hon
Holomisa to participate in this debate. Over to you, hon
Holomisa.
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Mr B H HOLOMISA: Thank you, Chairperson, hon Minister, Deputy
Minister and hon members. The UDM supports the budget. The
recent devastating floods in KwaZulu-Natal and other
provinces, has been ascribed to climate change, the problem
the South Africans had to date not taken seriously. Recently,
the Presidential Climate Commission on which I serve, held a
conference at which the public expressed their views. We need
to understand our national interest regarding the energy mix
as countries are using nuclear, coal and renewable energy.
South Africa cannot act in isolation, but must learn from
other countries.
The Cabinet must come clearly regarding our energy mix so that
we can deal with the threats of Eskom’s weaknesses, which is
affecting our economy. While we talk about transition to
renewable energy, we need to consider all factors. Littering
and garbage dumping has unfortunately become an ugly pandemic.
Based on our living spaces, where cattle accidentally urinate
on them, and when it rains, they wash down the storm water
pipes, blocking them to great risk. I recently returned from a
study tour to Kenya with colleagues from other parties.
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I was happy to learn that there are solutions to the scourge
of plastic products, they are much more proactive, and that
is, they have long banned plastic bags and developed
replacements for them. One does not see plastic bags littering
the streets of Nairobi. Plastic water bottles are prohibited
from their national parks, tools which we can consider.
Spatial development is another important issue that needs
collective responsibility.
Our people do not understand the dangers of building their
homes or shacks in a flood lines of the rivers and wetland.
Finally, local environment education needs to be ramped up,
and timeous laws enforcement is critical to prevent disaster.
Climate change is here to stay, and we should encourage our
people to participate in the legislative processes. Thank you.
Ms N GANTSHO: Thank you, hon Chair. Please allow me to do my
speech with my video off because of connectivity. Hon Chair,
Prior to the advent of democracy in our beloved country, the
ANC in 1992 developed six guiding principles that spoke to,
equitable access to environmental resources; sustainable
development, public participation in all planning decisions
which affect the development and management of natural
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resources public right to access to information and the courts
on issues of environmental concern, integrated approach to
environmental issues that relates to all sectors of society;
and lastly, recognition of the integrated nature of the global
environment and the need for international cooperation in
policy making.
Hon Chairperson, in support of this Budget Vote 32, I will
make reference to these guiding principles to indicate that it
is only the ANC that has developed progressive legislation on
the environment and this has benefited any South African,
including some sectors of society hostile to the ANC
transformative agenda. It is the ANC’s policy objective to
develop a framework aimed creating conditions conducive to
sustainable development and this requires that a future growth
strategy is compatible with ecological and human rights
principles, and that growth be geared towards the provision of
basic needs to benefit the whole community.
On Equitable Access to Environmental Resources, South Africa
has the longest coastline on the African continent, and this
provides an opportunity for a substantial development of the
fishing industry. One of the concerns is the removal of many
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traditional fishing communities from access to these
resources. The ANC sees the transformation and its
restructuring of the fishing industry by dismantling large
fishing conglomerates to smaller community based fisheries.
Please note that no one can deny that this is progressive.
The ANC would like to promote the sector expanded
participation in the entire value and supply chain linked to
South Africa’s Ocean Economy priorities, and we have, as the
ANC, noted that, fisheries sector has a great potential to
create much needed job opportunities and livelihood,
especially for the poor and economically marginalised
subsistence fishing communities. In this regard, the
finalisation of the fishing quotas is important to the ANC,
including the development of a Marine Policy that ensures that
the use of South African ships as part of our trade with the
rest of the world.
Hon Chairperson, the intention to provide for the conservation
of the marine ecosystem, the long-term sustainable utilisation
of marine living resources and the orderly access to
exploitation, utilisation and the protection of certain living
marine resources and the exercise of control marine resources
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in a fair and equitable manner to the benefit of all citizens
of South Africa, is found in the Marine Living Resources Act.
This Vote, with its limited total resource allocation of about
R 8 947, 900 billion, will transfer about R 976 814 million to
the Marine Living Resources Fund, and this will create about
1 892 job opportunities, created through the Working for
Fisheries programme.
The Economic Recovery and Reconstruction Plan identifies
aquaculture as one of the important strategic pillars of the
country’s oceans economy. In seeking to unleash this great
potential, the Vote will support, through Operation Phakisa,
about 12 aquaculture catalyst project and conduct six
aquaculture research over the medium-term. Whilst
acknowledging that more can and will be done. It is the
aspiration expressed in the 1955 Freedom Charter that guides
the ANC desire to realise meaningful participation in all
planning decisions which affect the development and management
of the country’s natural resources.
In conclusion, Chairperson, I challenge this Parliament to
dream, and as they dream, I ask of them to recite the
following words by our founding father uMadiba when he said,
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“I dream of our vast deserts, of our forests, of all our great
wilderness and we must never forget that it is our duty to
protect this environment.” I thank you, hon Chair.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr C T Frolick): Thank you, non hon
member. Hon members, as I invite hon Deputy Minister of
Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, I also invite the hon
Joemat-Pettersson to preside over the remainder of this mini-
plenary.
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF FORESTRY, FISHERIES AND THE
ENVIRONMENT: Hon Chairperson, my hon Minister, Barbara Creecy,
chairperson of the portfolio committee, Ms Faith Muthambi, hon
Members of Parliament, members of the portfolio committee,
management of the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and
Environment led by our Director-General, Director-General, D
G, Ms Nomfundo Tshabalala, all CEOs of the department’s
entities, ladies and gentlemen, I would like to take this
opportunity today to thank all the first responders, community
members, businesses and nongovernment organisations, NGOs, who
have come together in the spirit of ubuntu and worked
tirelessly to help the people of KwaZulu-Natal who were
affected by the recent floods as alluded to by the Minister,
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Barbara Creecy. The extensive damage caused by the masses of
water cemented our need to accept the reality of climate
change, and the critical importance of warnings of possible
extreme weather events, which are expected to become more and
more frequent as the climate continues to change.
Early warnings by the SA Weather Service are important for
communities and structures of government because these ensures
that there is liaison with the disaster management
authorities. This in turn ensures that public and disaster
response units are mobilised on time and influences government
action all the way down to municipal and individual level.
A key aspect of climate change is the reduction of greenhouse
gas emissions and a resulting improvement in our air quality.
As we deal with the effects of climate change, the importance
of equipping our country’s early warnings and weather
prediction systems and air quality monitoring stations is key.
Weather forecasting and air quality monitoring are, but two of
the exciting environment-related sectors in which we can
encourage youth following science-related study paths to
consider as future career choices.
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The second report published as part of the Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change’s sixth assessment pointed out that
Africa is already experiencing widespread loss and damage as a
result of human induced climate change. We have seen the
impacts of COVID-19 on the South African and global economy
these past few years, especially job losses and impacts on
households. Unemployment, poverty, inequality and addressing
gender-based violence remain our most pressing issues as we
fight climate change.
In addressing climate change we must not forget the important
role of women and youth, be it within communities or in
leadership roles. In this instance, in February this year, I
had an honour to be the guest speaker at the preparatory event
organised by an NGO Ilitha Labantu in partnership with the
Cape Peninsula University of Technology to flesh out women’s
needs and priorities going into the 66th United Nations
Commission on the Status of Women which took place in New York
in early March. The UN meeting took place under the theme:
Achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and
girls in the context of climate change, environmental risk
reduction policies and programmes. While South Africa
continues to show global leadership in our inclusive approach
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to a just transition, the invaluable perspectives offered by
women and the youth on how to address climate change at the
level of policy, in both its development and implementation,
cannot be ignored. Women and girls are effective and powerful
leaders and change-makers for climate adaptation and
mitigation actions. They are involved in sustainability
initiatives around the world and in their communities, while
their leadership results in more effective climate action. It
is therefore important that inclusive economic growth is key
to addressing unemployment, gender equality, health and other
poverty related issues.
We are also promoting integration of gender issues in disaster
resilience-related programmes. This is over and above the
national, provincial and municipal disaster management centres
which primarily support the government’s national climate
change response policy to effectively manage inevitable
climate impacts. This is done through interventions that build
and sustain South Africa’s social, economic and environmental
resilience and emergency response capacity.
Maintaining intact ecosystems and species populations and
ensuring connectivity across landscapes and seascapes is vital
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for preserving adaptive capacity of nature to climate change.
This in turn will enhance human adaptive capacity and
resilience. The importance of the role of healthy ecosystems
and well-functioning ecological infrastructure in assisting us
to adapt to climate change cannot be overemphasised. This is
because healthy ecosystems are better able to cope with
climate change impacts and in turn help people to adapt, while
healthy ecological infrastructure like inland wetlands,
estuaries and coastal dunes are better able to protect built
infrastructure and people from impacts of extreme weather
events. South Africa has already established itself as a
leader in promoting nature-based responses such as ecosystem-
based adaptation and ecosystem-based disaster risk reduction
as part of our national climate change response.
Through the SA National Biodiversity Institute, we are
committed to continuing these efforts. This includes our
efforts to mobilise international climate finance for
ecosystem-based adaptation through a range of collaborations
and multisectoral approaches. These are expected to unlock
significant investments that deliver direct benefits to
vulnerable and unlock the role of the private sector and
catalyse systemic and policy responses that support South
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Africa’s just transition to a climate resilient society, as I
have repeated what the Minister has just said.
Besides floods and other extreme weather events, drought is a
new reality for many communities across our country. During
the recently concluded United Nations Convention to Combat
Desertification, UNCCD, the Conference of the Parties: the
United Nations Framework, Cop 15, in Cote d’Ivoire, the
Abidjan Declaration was adopted on achieving gender equality
for successful land restoration. I participated as a panellist
in the gender caucus to showcase our national efforts to
respond to the UNCCD’s gender action plan and demonstrate the
work being done to mainstream gender at all levels.
The Abidjan Declaration recognises that securing women’s
access to land, control over land and access to finance for
land-based economic activities are central components of
women’s economic empowerment and rights and in generating
opportunities for economic prosperity and independence. I must
we need to congratulate our negotiators from South Africa
which were led by women in order for us to be able to insert
this clause in the Declaration of Abujan. It was not an easy
one.
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We are well aware that women are disproportionately affected
by extreme weather events like droughts as it threatens lives,
livelihoods and food security. South Africa is, thus, one of
the countries that will implement projects and programmes in
response to the Southern African Development Community, SADC,
Drought Resilience Strategy. You will agree with me that it is
imperative that appropriate global attention and action be
focused on drought. South Africa therefore aligns with the
strong message of Africa to Cop 15 which calls for the
strengthening of policy frameworks and instruments to address
drought under the convention.
On 9 December 2002, the heads of state of South Africa,
Mozambique and Zimbabwe signed a treaty establishing the Great
Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area. The core cross-border
conservation area comprises of the Limpopo National Park in
Mozambique, the Kruger National Park in South Africa and
Gonarezhou National Park in Zimbabwe. This year in April, I
joined the Ministers of Environment from Mozambique and
Zimbabwe to discuss various issues related to the
collaborative management of this important cross-border
conservation area.
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To mark the 20 years since the signing of this treaty, we
agreed that it is fitting to celebrate this milestone with the
continued rewilding and restoration of this globally important
cross-border conservation landscape. It is through this
partnership that keystone species are being reintroduced to
new and existing conservation areas.
To create a country free of litter and other waste in which we
all recycle, upcycle, reuse or repurpose materials requires a
commitment by all citizens as it has been mentioned by other
members who spoke before me. That is why the stakeholder
engagement sessions that are being held countrywide continue
to be of importance in providing feedback on the progress we
have made in implementing the district development model. As a
district development model cochampion, our Ministry and the
department have spent time with communities of provinces of
the North West and the Free State to discuss service delivery
challenges that exist, particularly waste services as well as
localised procurement and job creation that will promote and
support local businesses and involve local communities.
Besides building awareness about, for example, waste
collection and landfill management, the department is also
handing over waste collection compactor trucks, front end
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loaders and other materials required by municipalities to
improve service delivery across the nine provinces. Thanks to
Mr Creecy who did this sterling job a week ago.
Furthermore, through a number of interventions by the
department, we hope to address challenges through the
provision of the equipment necessary to compact waste at
landfill sites, deliver waste to these sites and to dispose
waste in the correct way as we are preparing to train our
local councillors on how to manage heavy waste at their area.
We hope then, that through the projects being implemented this
year will not only improve municipal waste management, but
also see communities working together to clean their
environment.
The department is also spearheading the implementation of the
commercial forestry masterplan which was approved by Cabinet
in November 2020. The masterplan promotes growth and
investment within the sector to ensure that there is increased
production in forestry areas and creation of jobs. I must also
indicate that most of the communities that are benefiting out
of this implementation of the master plan are the very same
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small scale growers as we are in the process of transferring
plantation B and C into the communities.
The master plan has already realised a significant investment
from the private sector and employment creation. As we are in
the second year of implementation the partners will focus on
addressing barriers to implementation so that implementation
can be accelerated. All key role-players and stakeholders
strive to implement this plan successfully as it will be a
good example of how private sector and government can leverage
each other strengths for the development of the sector. In an
effort to scale up the implementation of the masterplan in the
skills development front, the department intends to establish
formal relations with institutions of higher learning and
there is already a planned engagement with Fort Cox
Agriculture and Forestry Training Institute in the Eastern
Cape to take place late in June this year.
As part of the Presidential tree planting initiative of
planting 10 million trees in five years, the department in
collaboration with other stakeholders has planted a total of
762 000 trees in year one of this initiative. The department
intends to plant 120 000 trees across all nine provinces in
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the current financial year 2022-23. This will be supported by
collaboration with stakeholders in achieving the two million
trees target.
As I conclude, I would like to thank the hon Minister for her
leadership within the forestry, fisheries and environmental
sectors in the past year, the Director-General Ms Nomfundo
Tshabalala and the department for their support. Thank you
very much, team environment and the entities’ CEOs. Thank you
“zimbokoto” [stones]. I thank the hon chairperson, Ms Muthambi
and members of the portfolio committee in particular, for
their robust engagement and guidance. I thank you very much.
Ms T V B MCHUNU: Thank you, hon Acting House Chair and humble
greetings to you, Acting House Chairperson, and greetings to
the Minister, the Deputy Minister, the members of the House
and fellow South African. Hon Acting House Chairperson, this
Vote 32 for the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and
Environment plays a critical role in the growth and the
development of South African economy. The responsibility of
helping to grow and develop our economy is the responsibility
of every South African. It is important to note that despite
our country’s progressive environmental laws there are still
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challenges faced by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and
Environment. Please note that these are challenges not
failures.
The National Environmental Management Act 107 of 1998,
provides for the establishment of principles for decision-
making on matters affecting the environment through co-
operative environmental governance and procedures. Under
section 33 of the National Environmental Management Act any
person may institute a private prosecuting against the person
if such person has breached or threatens to breach a legal
duty that is consent with the protection of the environment
and where the breach of that duty is an offence.
Hon Acting House Chairperson, one of the challenges facing our
communities is a lack of compliance with our environmental
laws. The lack of legislative compliance by environmental
stakeholders has serious implications for the economy. Our
environment ecosystems play a crucial role in the development
of our economy by supporting revenues, future development
opportunities, livelihoods and sustainable harvest in forestry
and the fisheries sector including the support for the tourism
sector which contributes significantly to the gross domestic
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product, GDP, of our country. We have noticed that there is an
increase in the level of sophistication in transnational
organised environmental crime which undermines good governance
and developmental goals with the environmental sector. This
transnational organise environmental crimes include the
illegal logging, poaching and trafficking of wildlife, illegal
fisheries, mining and dumping of toxic waste, lion bone
trading and rhino horn poaching, water pollution and
harvesting of protected plants and species, air pollution and
illegal waste dumping at local government level.
Programme two of the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and
Environment deals with the regulatory compliance and sector
monitoring and the purpose is to promote the development of
enabling legal regime and licensing authorisation system that
will promote enforcement and compliance and ensure the co-
ordination of sector performance. In order to ensure that
their compliance with our environmental laws within the
fisheries sector, the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and
Environment will conduct over the medium-term a total number
of 6 500 enforcement and compliance inspections within the
fishery sector. The fisheries sector is regulated through the
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National Environmental Management Act and National
Environmental Management Biodiversity Act.
Budget allocation to regulatory compliance and sector
monitoring is R223 million and this allocation increases by
0,8% over the medium-term which is good, hon Acting House
Chair, and an indication that the department is focusing on
this particular challenge. Environmental programmes receive
the biggest allocation of the Budget Vote at R37 408 billion
and over R10 billion over the medium-term.
We support this Budget Vote because it will create about
210 080 much-needed job opportunities through the Expanded
Public Works Programme and inclusive fulltime job equivalent.
The total number is 314 439. One of the areas that need our
special attention is around waste management programme. Most
landfill sites are under municipalities and there are
provincial competencies. It has been reported that close to
100 million tons of municipal commercial and industrial waste
going to landfill site is not productively recycled.
As the ANC we would like to see the support of small emerging
waste recycling businesses to encourage the recycling of
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metal, plastic, rubber and paper in order to significantly
reduce energy consumption in the processing of metals and
publications. Waste recycle represents not only an opportunity
to keep our cities and towns clean, but to create many job
opportunities from much unemployed youth which is one of the
priorities of our government. In conclusion, hon Acting House
Chairperson, I stand on behalf of the ANC and support this
Vote 32 for the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and
Environment. Thank you, Acting House Chair.
Mr A M SHAIK EMAM: Thank you very much, Acting House
Chairperson. Acting House Chairperson, I’ve heard not a while
ago that hon members were speaking about the more inclusive
economy, inclusive economic growth. Now, let me advise this
House first of all that the forestry industry is still in the
hands of the few. The fishing industry right alluded to by my
colleague from the EFF, hon Paulsen, is still in the hands of
a few. Therefore, we cannot talk about inclusive economic
growth in a country that is one of the most unequal societies
in the world. Let me talk particularly about the fishing
industry and what the small-scale fishing community ...
[Inaudible.] particularly those in the ... [Inaudible.] bay
area out there and many other of these fishing seaside resort
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that we have. They are at the mercy of organisations like
Irvin & Johnson, I&J, Sea Harvest and Oceana.
More importantly, Acting House Chairperson, if you notice and
having had many discussions with the small-scale fishing,
particularly those they live of the snoek alone, they tell you
that what the large ... [Inaudible.] are actually driving the
snoek away from the shore so that they are not able to get
there ... [Inaudible.] anywhere near that and that is ...
[Inaudible.] having a devastating effect on them. Therefore,
if we want to talk about economic growth we need to address
the challenges, particularly ... and yes, Minister I know some
work has been done there. It will be highly ... [Inaudible.]
not to admit that. However, a lot more work need to be done.
Let’s talk about the issue of the environment, I’ve repeatedly
raised the concern of the community of Merebank, Lamontville,
Wentworth and all those areas and the high levels of
pollution. We talk about a global warming, is that not the
reason that particular community affected so badly with the
flooding that took place? What are we doing about and ...
[Inaudible.] to see that report that was undertaken by the
University of KwaZulu-Natal addressing the challenges that the
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people face, particularly with tuberculosis, lung cancer and
things as a result of that. I see, Acting House Chairperson,
you are reminding me that is my time. Thank you very much and
... [Interjections.]
Thank you very much for that so that I have one minute to go
on. Therefore, I was talking particularly about the issue of
that particular community and let me tell you the levels of
tuberculosis as ... [Inaudible.] it’s very high ...
[Inaudible.] and I think that matter needs to be addressed.
Our concern ... [Inaudible.] of the Auditor-General’s, AG,
report, particularly on irregular expenditure in terms of the
department, but I have the assurance in terms of the
department, the committee is looking into it and that they are
addressing it. However, you know I think the weakness we have,
Acting House Chairperson, is the fact that there is a
provision to regularise irregular expenditure. Therefore, that
is the reason why ... [Inaudible.] The National Freedom Party
supports the report tabled here. Thank you, Acting House
Chair.
Mr P M P MODISE: Thank you very much, Deputy Chairperson, and
greetings to you and to the Minister, the Deputy Minister and
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the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee, and fellow South
Africans. The ANC believes that all South Africans at the
present and in future have the right to a safe and a healthy
environment that is enshrined in section 24 of the South
African Constitution. The Constitution mandates this
Parliament to take reasonable legislative and other measures
to prevent pollution, ecological degradation, promote
conservation and secure ecological sustainable development,
and the use of natural resources while promoting justifiable
economic and social development.
I would like to put an emphasis on the promotion of the
development and the use of natural resources in social and
economic development. This becomes extremely important given
the triple challenges of poverty, inequality and unemployment
which our people face on a daily basis. These triple
challenges are the creation of a colonialism and apartheid as
perpetuated by the horrible legacy.
In seeking to eradicate this horrible legacy of colonialism
and apartheid, the ANC speaks of, amongst others, affirmative
action programmes in pursuit of a viable economic development
that ensures that all South Africans have access to natural
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resources required to satisfy their basis needs and to restore
traditional access to natural resources.
It has been argued in the report of the World Commission on
Environment and Development that sustainable development
requires meeting the basic needs of all and extending to all
opportunities to fulfil their aspirations for a better life.
Sustainable development, in the language of the United
Nations, is development that meets a need of the present
without compromising the ability of future generations to meet
their own needs. The purpose of this Budget Vote No 32, is to
leads South Africa’s environmental forestry and fisheries
sectors to achieve sustainable development towards a better
life for all.
In 2021, His Excellency President Ramaphosa, during his Sona,
said to the nation that climate change threatens our
environmental health, socioeconomic development and economic
growth. The ANC remains committed to the Paris Agreement and
to the net-zero carbon emission by the year 2050, and this
Vote No 32 will continue to support equitable transition to a
low carbon economy.
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Through this Vote No 32, the Department of Forestry, Fisheries
and the Environment will commit to the implementation of the
approved low emissions development and growth strategy of the
medium term and will receive allocation of R1,4 billion to
deal with climate change, air quality and sustainable
development. Given the devastating impact of climate change
effects, as the ANC we will exercise oversight on the work of
government on climate change, co-ordinate it through the
Presidential Co-ordinating Commission on Climate Change, PCCC,
tasked with the development of policies on just transition for
the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment.
The Presidential Co-ordinating Commission on Climate Change
was announced by President Ramaphosa during his address to the
nation in 2021 in order to enhance government systems and
capacity by ensuring that climate change is effectively
addressed and mainstreamed in every department as an essential
component of a broader National Development Strategy. Quite
contrary to the claims made by others, the establishment of
the PCCC undermines the work of the Ministries. In fact, the
establishment of the PCCC was recommended by the National
Planning Commission that this should be done under the
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supervision of the President in order to ensure the
mainstreaming of climate change in every department.
The National Development Plan has noted that apart from the
needs of improved disaster risk reduction, South Africa’s
National Climate Change Response White Paper, highlight a ...
[Inaudible] ... of sectors that needs to consider climate
change impact in their planning, namely water, agriculture and
commercial forestry, health, biodiversity and ecosystems and
human settlements in both rural, urban and coastal areas.
In light of the deeply devastating impact of the recent floods
in both KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape, which has resulted
in the loss of over 400 lives, it is important that in dealing
with climate change challenges, government should develop
educational awareness programmes around the Sustainable
Development Goals, also known as the SDGs, especially in the
rural communities.
The ANNC supports Budget Vote No 32 of the Department of
Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment under the stewardship
of the hon Minister Barbara Creecy. This is not in any way
whatsoever misguided, but it is based on a clear conviction
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that this vote has made reasonable allocation of limited
resources towards the achievement of the Medium-Term Strategic
Framework on priority 4, which is the spatial integration,
human settlements and local government. So, the less said by
those who are opposed to this budget, the better. Deputy
Chairperson, I thank you very much.
The ACTING CHAIRPERSON (Ms T M Joemat-Pettersson): Hon
Minister, before you respond, you have an additional three
minutes which you saved when you did your opening address.
Thank you, hon Minister, the opportunity is yours.
The MINISTER OF FORESTRY, FISHERIES AND THE ENVIRONMENT: Thank
you very much, Acting House Chair. Allow me to start off by
thanking all the hon members for the quality contributions to
our debate today.
I would like to start with the question of the financial
status of our entities. I think that it would be important for
us all to acknowledge that despite the difficulties of the
covid pandemic and the devastating impact that this pandemic
had on tourism and consequent revenues, that all four of our
entities are dependent on, including the weather service,
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which gets its revenues from air traffic. I think that what is
really significant is that none of these entities have had to
approach National Treasury for bailouts. And in this financial
year, none of these entities are tabling deficit budgets. That
doesn’t mean that it hasn’t been tough.
I think that the hon members are fully aware that in 2020, we
had to make departmental transfers to these entities. In 2021,
we had to support applications by these entities to go to
National Treasury and request that infrastructure budgets be
used for operations. In this financial year, although we are
expecting to see greater revenue stability, we are still
having to support all the entities through a range of
different programs including, - as you’ve heard the work we
are doing with ... [Inaudible.] ... to sort out the monitoring
stations to make sure that they are not vandalized, to
relocate them into schools and police stations. But also to
upgrade the forecasting capacity with modern radar technology.
So that we are able to undertake the micro climatic
forecasting which would be expected of any modern weather
forecasting services.
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With regard to fishing, I don’t want at this stage to defend
the Fishing Rights Allocation Process, FRAP, because we are in
the appeal’s phase. And I think that it’s very important that
those who have been disappointed and those who disagree with
the allocations are given a proper opportunity to raise all
the issues that they would want to raise in the appeal
process. I do however want to say to hon members that this
sector is not without its complexity, given the fact that they
are more than 28 000 formal jobs in the commercial fishing
sector. One, in the current climate also has to look at that
particular issue.
With regard to the small scale sector, I absolutely agree with
hon members who say that it’s taken too long to sort out the
fishing allocation rights in the Western Cape and this year,
it has to be concluded.
But I do think that it’s important to acknowledge the ten
thousand members of small scale co-operatives that we have
already established. The key areas of focus going forward is
first of all, to improve the basket of species. And, one of
the issues that we will come back to when we conclude the FRAP
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process is exactly what is being transferred in terms of
species from the commercial sector to the small scale sector.
What we also want to examine together with the small scale
sector, - We are hosting a workshop on this since this concept
of co-management. Because what we understand is that we don’t
set up systems of co-management around particularly high value
species like abalone and West Coast rock lobster. We are not
going to be able to sort out the poaching problem.
With regard to the very ... [Inaudible.] ... issue of rhino
poaching, I think that it’s militarization of the problem is
only successful up to a point. But we have to solve two other
problems in order to find a sustainable solution. The one
problem is the issue of sustainable beneficiation of
communities who live around our protected areas. And I think
that this is why we are so worried about proper settlement of
land claims. And that’s why we also want to ensure that in the
commercialisation strategy of both Isimangaliso Wetland Park
and Sanparks, that there will be proper beneficiation for
local communities. Because this is the only sustainable way of
ensuring that young men in particular are not lured in as the
foot soldiers of these poaching syndicates.
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With regard to demand management, it’s a complex and difficult
issue. There have definitely been programs in this regard in
the past, and I don’t know how successful they would have
been. The major markets are China and Vietnam. I think what we
have managed to do in recent times is to improve our
enforcement co-operation with both of those countries. And
this year and last year, there have been significant successes
in terms of intercepting horn as a result of co-operation with
the enforcement agency in both of these countries. I think
that this is an important area where we would want to have
gradual focus going forward.
On the issue of plastic waste, hon members, I agree with you
it’s a huge issue in our country and I know that you’ve had a
very interesting study tour to Kenya. I’m sure in due course
we might well have an opportunity to have a parliamentary
colloquium on this issue so that we can all interrogate what
is going on in our own country and how it compares with good
practice elsewhere. But I do want to say to hon members that
there is no shortcut for dealing with improving waste
management in municipalities.
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In the recent visit I paid to KwaZulu-Natal, KZN, where I was
assisting my colleague with the clean-up of the beaches, the
major problem there was the plastic waste that had washed into
the river systems, and into the oceans and ultimately onto the
beaches. While the organic matter can be dealt with through
normal ecological processes, this plastic waste has to be
collected by hand and it was truly frightening to see the
quantity that it washed down. I do agree with hon members that
this problem has to go and be put back on the drawing board.
And we’ve got to have a lot more attention to it.
Let me say that it’s very heartening to me to see that we have
cross party support for robust action around the climate
crisis. Of course, I’m very much looking forward to your
processing of the climate Bill with speed. I’m glad that we
are all agreed that as we deal with issues of biodiversity and
conservation, we have to also deal with issues of community
beneficiation. Because as the hon Singh pointed out we can’t
have a situation where ambitious international targets for
biodiversity and conservation and real forest station happen
at the extent of local communities and the access to land and
other rural resources.
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The issue raised by a Gantsho of exclusion of traditional
fishing communities from some of the marine protected areas,
is a matter that we have set up a task-team to consider. I
hope in due course we will be resolving that matter in a
mutually satisfactory manner.
Hon members, we can only restate our commitment to continuing
with the very hard work of dealing with irregular expenditure
and the necessary consequence management, so that we can
improve the probity of our department and of our budget. I
think that we all appreciate the fact that we have got
significant scientists and other professionals who give very
good work on the environment. And what we’ve got to fix is the
financial management of the system. That too, I have learned
it doesn’t have quick fixes. But all of us remain committed to
ensuring that there are better outcomes there in the future.
With that said, let me conclude with the words of hon Breedt
she said that and I quote:
These matters of pollution and biodiversity loss and
climate change are fundamental for the wellbeing of
humanity going forward.
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There is indeed no planet to be for any of us. I thank you.
Debate concluded.
The Mini-Plenary session rose at 15:52
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