Questions and Replies
28 March 2024 - NW706
De Villiers, Mr MJ to ask the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
Whether she will furnish Mr J N de Villiers with a (a) list and (b) full description of all events planned by her department to take place before 29 May 2024 in celebration of the 30 years of democracy in the Republic, including the (i) projected total cost or expenditure of each event and (ii) breakdown thereof in terms of expenditure for (aa) catering, (bb) entertainment, (cc) venue hire, (dd) transport, and (ee) accommodation; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
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20 March 2024 - NW583
Bryant, Mr D W to ask the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
1) With reference to the widespread concern regarding alleged collaboration between poaching syndicates and staff at wildlife parks in the Republic, what is the total number of staff members currently employed by the SA National Parks (SANParks) who are currently subject to (a) internal disciplinary action and (b) criminal charges relating to any involvement with poaching of animals and plants; (2) what (a) total number of internal disciplinary proceedings relating to involvement in poaching have been completed since 1 January 2019 and the lalest specified date for Which information is available, (b) were the results of the internal disciplinary proceedings and (c) successful criminal prosecutions were obtained relating to involvement in poaching that have been of SANParks staff between 2019 to date?
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20 March 2024 - NW582
Bryant, Mr D W to ask the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
(1) Whether, with reference to her recent announcement that 499 rhinos were poached in the Republic in 2023, amountin9 to an increase of 51 from the previous year, the SA National Parks (SANParks) is working with provincial paits to help roll out polygraph testing for staff members in provincial parks to help reduce poaching instances in KwaZulu-Natal; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details; (2) What (a) total number of polygraph tests were carried out on SANParks staff and (b) is the job description of each person who was tested; (3) Whether any of the polygraph tests carried out on SANParks staff assisted in identifying persons who were involved in poaching; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details in this regard?
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20 March 2024 - NW581
Bryant, Mr D W to ask the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
a) Whether, with reference to reports from the Namibian Ministry of Environment and Tourism regarding the re-exportation of white rhinos back to the Republic from Namibia in order to circumvent regulations for the export of rhinos to non-range states, she has been informer of any incidents of live white rhinos impoi1ed from the Republic being re-exported from Namibia; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details; b) what (a) is the total number of live white rhinos that were exported trom the Republic to Namibia in each of the past five years and (b) are the current regulations controlling the import of live white rhinos from Namibia?
20 March 2024 - NW596
De Villiers, Mr MJ to ask the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
With reference to her reply to question 85 on 24 February 2023, what are the details of the (a) make, (b) model, (c) year of manufacture, (d) date of purchase and (e) purchase price paid for each vehicle purchased by her department for (i) her and (ii) the Deputy Minister since 8 May 2019?
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20 March 2024 - NW559
Weber, Ms AMM to ask the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
In light of 3 tons of fish killed in February 2022 in eMalahleni, Mpumalanga, where 23 species of fish were killed, but fortunately could be found somewhere else and bred to introduce to the river through the rehabilitation process at the breeding facility in Loskop dam area where the Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency have taken responsibility for it, (a) what species of fish are currently being bred to ensure the re-introduction of these 23 species into the river, (b) what progress has been made regarding the cleaning and rehabilitation of the rivers, (c) how long will the rehabilitation take until completion and (d) whether there is any other species being bred that will assist with the rehabilitation process?
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20 March 2024 - NW560
Weber, Ms AMM to ask the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
(1) Whether, with regard to fears of endangered and close to extinct animals, there are breeding facilities for the (a) southern ground hornbill, (b) pangolins and (c) black-footed cat; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, how many facilities in each case per province; (2) Which endangered species have breeding facilities in each province to ensure that they do not become extinct?
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08 March 2024 - NW335
De Villiers, Mr MJ to ask the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
What are the full details of all (a) sponsorships, (b) donations and (c) financial transfers provided for lawfare and/or any other purposes to (i) her, (ii) her department and (iii) officials of her department by any (aa) Qatari, (bb) Iranian and/or (cc) Russian organ of state, organisation and/or resident since 1 January 2021 up to the latest date in 2024 for which information is available?
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01 March 2024 - NW203
Manyi, Mr M to ask the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environmen
Whether cloud seeding technology has been utilized in the Republic in the past three years; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the primary objectives and/or purpose for the use?
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01 March 2024 - NW204
Manyi, Mr M to ask the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
(a) Which province in the Republic have employed cloud seeding techniques in the 2023-24 financial year, (b) what specific reasons and/or circumstances led to its usage in the specified province and (c) how does she ensure (i) regulation and (ii) oversight to safeguard environmental integrity and public welfare?
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01 March 2024 - NW176
Winkler, Ms HS to ask the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
Whether it is the official position of (a) her department and (b) the SA National Biodiversity Institute that a legal, well-regulated trade in rhino horn is key to solving the rhino poaching crisis; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the full, relevant details of the official position?
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14 December 2023 - NW4120
Breedt, Ms T to ask the Minister of Forestry. Fisheries and the Environment
(1) Whether, with reference to the proposed introduction of Norms and Standards for the Management of Damage-causing Animals in South Africa and subsequent statements regarding Guidelines for The Management of Damage-causing Animals in South Africa, the Guidelines were issued; if not, by what date(s) will the Guidelines be (a) issued and (b) implemented; if so, on what date was the Guidelines issued; (2) Whether she will furnish Ms T Breedt with a copy of the relevant Guidelines; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details; (3) What were the reasons that the proposed Norms and Standards were replaced with the Guidelines, of which compliance is not mandatory and which are unenforceable?
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14 December 2023 - NW4215
Winkler, Ms HS to ask the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
Whether her department will furnish Ms H S Winkler with the contact information of the environmental management inspectors, commonly known as Green Scorpions, in each province; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
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14 December 2023 - NW4216
Winkler, Ms HS to ask the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
Whether her depadment will furnish Ms H S Winkler with the details of officials in each province tasked with investigating reports of illegal fishing and trawling; if not, why not; if so what are the relevant details?
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14 December 2023 - NW4214
Winkler, Ms HS to ask the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
Whether her department will furnish Ms H S Winkler with the contact information of all the air quality officers in each municipality in KwaZulu-Natal; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
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14 December 2023 - NW4121
Breedt, Ms T to ask the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
(1) With reference to vehicles speeding and resulting in associated animal mortalities in the Kruger National Park (KNP), including unethical behaviour by visitors and/or overcrowding at animal sightings, what (a) total number of (b) kind of species were killed by vehicles in the KNP in (i) 2020, (ii) 2021 and (iii) 2023; (2) Whether any regulations have been implemented and/or proposed to (a) control unethical behaviour by visitors to the KNP and (b) limit overcrowding at animal sightings in the KNP, as have recently been introduced in the Serengeti National Park; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
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14 December 2023 - NW4119
Breedt, Ms T to ask the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
(1) Whether her department has been informed of the drinking water shortages for animals in the Molopo Nature Reserve in the North West and the consequential death of game in the specified park; if not, why not; if so, what steps have been taken to assist in resolving the issue; (2) Whether the North West Department of Tourism and/or Environmental Affairs contacted her department for assistance in the matter; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details; (3) How will her department ensure accountability for the tragedy that occurred in terms of game dying of thirst in the Limpopo Nature Reserve; (4) How does her department monitor the functioning and/or infrastructural aspects of nature reserves under the custodianship of provincial departments?
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08 December 2023 - NW3980
Mchunu, Ms S to ask the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
How will the agreement of the Transition Committee of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) on the operationalisation of the Climate Loss and Damage Fund assist the Republic moving forward, since it has entered the decade of extreme weather conditions, especially regarding the coastal areas which are affected the most?
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08 December 2023 - NW4093
Loate, Mr T to ask the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
1) Whether she has found that the Republic's latest Nationally Determined Contributions submission will ensure that the Republic's carbon reduction commitment will accord with the Paris Agreement's 1.5-degree Celsius limit; if not, why not; if so, on what facts is that assertion made, 2) how will the adaptation component in the Republic's updated Nationally Determined Contributions be funded, considering that the Government, and municipalities in particular, are substantially unable to meet the present costs of maintaining and renewing infrastructure?
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08 December 2023 - NW4086
Winkler, Ms HS to ask the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
What are the details of (a) minimum data reporting standards that air quality monitoring stations need to comply with and (b) pollutants that all air quality monitoring stations need to monitor?
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08 December 2023 - NW4085
Winkler, Ms HS to ask the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
1. With reference to her reply to question 3473 on 10 November 2023, what are the full details of the (a)(i) basis on which the decision to cull 87 buffalo in the Kruger National Park in 2022 was made and (ii) scientific evaluations in this regard, (b) income and expenditure for the Skukuza Game Meat Processing Plant for the 2022-23 financial year, (c)(i) reasons for the off take of 16 elephants as damage-causing animals, (ii) nature of the damage caused and (iii) number of repeated incidents and (d) steps taken to mitigate and prevent reoccurrence of the damage, and thus avoid the necessity to euthanise the elephants; 2. (a) how were the communities in need identified for the donations of elephant meat to communities on the western and southern boundaries of the Kruger National Park, as there are presumably many more communities in need than could be satisfied by the donation of meat from 16 elephants and (b) what are the details of oversight by senior management and specific measures taken to avoid nepotism and corruption?
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08 December 2023 - NW4084
Winkler, Ms HS to ask the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
With regard to access to replies to parliamentary questions on her department's website, (a) what are the reasons that only replies to the seven most recent parliamentary questions are available on her department's website under media, with no replies available for prior dates and (b) when will the replies to all parliamentary questions related to her department be made available on the department's website as was previously the case?
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08 December 2023 - NW4042
Singh, Mr N to ask the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
(1) What are the full relevant details of the progress of the iSimangaliso Task Team regarding the dredging of the uMsunduzi blockages; (2) whether the specified dredging is still on course as it was intended; if not, why not; if so, what are the further relevant details?
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08 December 2023 - NW4011
Breedt, Ms T to ask the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
(1) With reference to the Abalone Scientific Working Group and The West Coast Rock Lobster Scientific Working Group, (a) which areas have their own scientific working groups and (b)(i) who is the representative of each (aa) scientific working group and (bb) community represented and (ii) what qualifies them for the specified positions; (2) what process is followed in electing the specified representatives; (3) whether the positions are advertised; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details; (4) whether the scientific working group meetings are publicly advertised to ensure that all parties involved in the fishing community have access; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details for the meetings and its advertisement for the past 24 months?
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08 December 2023 - NW4010
Breedt, Ms T to ask the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
(1) What are the reasons that abalone quotas have been moved from the Overberg area to the West Coast; (2) since 30 May 2019, what was the timeline on which the movement of quotas towards the West Coast took place, with regard to the (a) total number of permit holders that were moved, (b) location they were moved to and (c) reasons that they were moved in each financial year since 2019-20?
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08 December 2023 - NW4009
Breedt, Ms T to ask the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
(1) Whether her department has been informed of the large number of poachers allegedly using the Hawston Harbour to poach abalone as far as Robben Island and beyond; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details; (2) whether the specified harbour is (a) still a registered harbour and/or slipway and (b) policed by her department; if not, why not, in each case; if so, what are the relevant details in each case; (3) whether, considering that Hermanus' New Harbour is only five kilometres away, her department has considered closing and requesting the demolishing of Hawston Harbour to curb the extensive poaching network that operates from there; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
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08 December 2023 - NW4002
Paulsen, Mr N M to ask the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
What are the details why the target of 75% of budget expenditure on (a) Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment and (b) Black-owned enterprises was removed?
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08 December 2023 - NW4001
Paulsen, Mr N M to ask the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
(a) Why the 30% procurement target for rural and township enterprises was removed from the plans of her department and (b) what are the potential impacts of removing the target on rural and township enterprises?
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08 December 2023 - NW3993
Weber, Ms AMM to ask the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
Whether, with reference to the revised National Determined Contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions that she has submitted to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in October 2021 to ensure that the Republic pursues the goals of the Paris Agreement, and noting that load shedding has led to the acceptance of noncompliance to minimum emissions of the Eskom power stations (details furnished), her department monitors Eskom's emission data; if not, why not; if so, (a) how far are the Eskom power stations in reaching their set target of 1000mg/Nm3 and (b) what is the current average that the Eskom power stations are on with regard to minimum emission for S02?
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08 December 2023 - NW3992
Weber, Ms AMM to ask the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
(1) In view of the fact that lions infected with Bovine Tuberculosis have a lower survival and breeding success, what is the total number of lion prides in the Kruger National Park (KNP) that do not have Bovine Tuberculosis; (2) Whether there is a decline in the growth of the number and/or births of lions in KNP; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details?
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08 December 2023 - NW3987
Singh, Mr N to ask the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
What are the relevant details pertaining to the permitted use of the Aliwal Shoal Marine Protected Area for (a) shore-based recreational, subsistence line-fishers and residents and (b) management and staff training together with additional and ongoing stakeholder engagements?
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08 December 2023 - NW3974
Hendricks, Mr MGE to ask the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
Whether, considering that the Constitutional Court has ruled in Fuel Retailers Association of Southern Africa v Director General Environmental Management of Agriculture, Conservation and Environment, Mpumalanga Province and Others, that conservation of cultural heritage could also be subsumed under section 24(b)(ii) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, her department takes into account the cultural and heritage life of coastal communities when it grants environmental authorisation in areas off the wild coast; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details?
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17 November 2023 - NW3642
Myburgh, Mr NG to ask the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
(a) Who is responsible for the implementation and monitoring of the National Wetland Management Framework and(b) what are the details of the success that has been achieved in restoring the wetlands since the inception of the framework?
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17 November 2023 - NW3641
Myburgh, Mr NG to ask the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
What are the details of the Awareness Programme of hr department regarding the importance of wetlands in terms of the (a) budget allocated,(b) personnel assigned and (c) roll out across the Republic?
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17 November 2023 - NW3649
Winkler, Ms HS to ask the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
What is the latest information on the criminal charges laid by her department against the Ethekwini Metropolitan Municipality regarding the sewage crises in the city of Durban?
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17 November 2023 - NW3643
Myburgh, Mr NG to ask the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
What progress has been in the development and/or implementation of the National Wetland Inventory ?
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27 October 2023 - NW3223
Winkler, Ms HS to ask the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
(1) With reference to the Industry Wildlife Forum that is managed in an exclusive, closed and non transparent manner, while the Wildlife Wellbeing Forum is inclusive with broad membership and access (details furnished}, what are the reasons that the two entities are managed differently; (2) whether she intends to take steps to bring the Industry Wildlife Forum management in line with the way in which the Wildlife Wellbeing Forum is being managed; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
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27 October 2023 - NW3208
Weber, Ms AMM to ask the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
(1) With reference to the green scorpions and/or environmental management inspectors (EM Is) who are the lifeline for the environment and have done incredible work to investigate and resolve serious issues (details furnished), what are the details of the new financial constraints and austerity measures regarding the green scorpions; (2) how has she found that the green scorpions will be effective at compliance, monitoring and enforcement if they are short staffed and do not have enough resources to travel and investigate; (3) (a) what number of vacancies are there in each province and (b) on what date will the vacancies be filled; (4) what are the reasons that her department does not ensure that the EMls have enough resources to ensure they can do their compliance, monitoring and enforcement effectively whilst being short staffed?
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27 October 2023 - NW3204
Winkler, Ms HS to ask the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
(1) With reference to the Industry Wildlife Forum that is managed in an exclusive, closed and non transparent manner, while the Wildlife Wellbeing Forum is inclusive with broad membership and access (details furnished), what are the reasons that the two entities are managed differently; (2) whether she intends to take steps to bring the Industry Wildlife Forum management in line with the way in which the Wildlife Wellbeing Forum is being managed; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
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27 October 2023 - NW3203
Bryant, Mr D W to ask the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
Whether any (a) charges and (b) fines were issued in terms of the Minimum Emissions Standards of 2015, relating to (i) the recent refusal of Sasol's application for sulphur dioxide emission limits at its Secunda operations and (ii) any other specified incidents of noncompliance at the Secunda operations in the past three years; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details?
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27 October 2023 - NW3202
Bryant, Mr D W to ask the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
What (a) total amount was spent on litigation by the Department of Fisheries (i) in the (aa) 2019-20, (bb) 2020-21, (cc) 2021-22 and (dd) 2022-23 financial years and (ii) since 1 April 2023 and (b) are the relevant (i) case numbers and (ii) parties to the litigation in each case?
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27 October 2023 - NW3150
Breedt, Ms T to ask the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
Whether, with reference to her reply to question 3141 on 6 October 2023, the proceeds of poached (a) abalone and (b) crayfish that are sold, are eventually (i) ploughed back into the department's budget for anti-poaching initiatives and/or (ii) paid into the National Revenue Fund; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details?
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27 October 2023 - NW3148
Swart, Mr SN to ask the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
(1) Whether a valid Threatened or Protected Species permit was issued for a certain hunt (details furnished); if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details of the specified permit; (2) whether the specified hunt was legal, given that (a) there currently exists no published hunting quota for elephants and (b) the Western Cape High Court granted an interim interdict on 21 April 2022, preventing both the hunting of elephants and the export of elephant trophies; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details; (3) what total number of (a) permits for the killing of elephants have been granted, by providing a detailed breakdown with regard to each (i) province and (ii) category of permit, including (aa) trophy hunting, (bb) damage causing animals and (cc) management culls and (b) elephants were killed in the period between 21 April 2022 and the latest specified date for which information is available?
27 October 2023 - NW3149
Breedt, Ms T to ask the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
On what date(s) (a) were the last studies conducted on which the latest available Total Allowable Catches and Total Applied Effort determinations for (i) abalone and (ii) rock lobster were based and (b} does she envisage that the new recommendations for (i) abalone and (ii) rock lobster will be announced, considering that only two months are remaining in the current year?
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27 October 2023 - NW3253
Swart, Mr SN to ask the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
What total number of elephant trophies from each province have been exported from the Republic in the period between 21 April 2022 and the latest specified date for which information is available?
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27 October 2023 - NW3225
Winkler, Ms HS to ask the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
(1) With regard to the Ministerial Task Team (MTT) in captive lion and closure of the captive lion industry (details furnished), what (a) is the status and progress of the MTT to date and (b) are the reasons for the removal within a few hours of a much welcomed and applauded social media post by her department announcing the closure of the captive lion breeding and highlighting the cruelty and reputational risks; (2) whether the removal of the social media post indicates that her department has reneged on its - intention to close the captive lion breeding industry; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the reasons; (3) whether her department has been put under pressure by the captive lion breeders to not close the industry; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details; (4) whether she intends to use the wellbeing clause of the National Environmental Management Laws Amendment Act, Act 2 of 2022, which allows for the Minister to declare some activities as prohibited when welfare risks are high, to declare the captive lion breeding a prohibited activity in the near future; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details?
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27 October 2023 - NW3224
Winkler, Ms HS to ask the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
(1) Whether, with regard to the high levels of rhino poaching in the Ezemvelo KwaZulu-Natal Wildlife, especially in the Imfolozi and iHluhluwe Game Reserves, and noting that rhino poaching is an international concern and the rhino form an important part of the metapopulation, her department has taken steps to support and assist KwaZulu-Natal in light of the dramatic increase in rhino poaching; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what form of support and assistance has been provided by her department in this regard; {2) whether the Intensive Protection Zone has been implemented in the specified parks; if not, why not; if so, how effective has it been?
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06 October 2023 - NW2921
Bryant, Mr D W to ask the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
Whether she is actively exploring additional funding mechanisms for the implementation of the Just Transition to a Decarbonised Economy for South Africa to supplement the initial $8.5 billion commitment; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
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06 October 2023 - NW3047
De Freitas, Mr MS to ask the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
With reference to the entrance gate at the Three Rondavels of the Panorama route in Mpumalanga, (a) what are the reasons that bank card machines are not operational at the gate, (b) by what date will the bank card machines be fixed, (c) how is the cash received being monitored and controlled and (d) what measures, processes, procedures and mechanisms are in place to ensure that there is not theft of the cash received?
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06 October 2023 - NW2923
Winkler, Ms HS to ask the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
What total number of (a) cheetahs and (b) cubs born later, which were exported to the Republic of India as part of a Memorandum of Understanding, have died as at the latest specified date for which information is available?
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