Honourable Speaker and Deputy Speaker,
Honourable Premier, Ms Sylvia Lucas,
Fellow Colleagues in the Executive Council,
Honourable Members of the Legislature,
Dikgosi,
Members of the media,
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and gentlemen.
I am honoured and deeply humbled by this opportunity to deliver this Budget Vote Speech, fully aware that until recently it was the portfolio of our newly elected Premier.
Honourable Speaker, let me take this opportunity to thank you and the people of the Northern Cape for affording us this time, once again to reflect on the strides we have made in ensuring that we strive towards our vision of attaining a prosperous and equitable society living in harmony with our natural resources.
This speech is also delivered against the backdrop of increased pressure on this department to play a significant role in the roll-out and establishment of alternative energy processing plants in the Northern Cape, the increased mining activities in our province, the need to control both waste and air pollution, the roll out of green jobs and greening in the province and the fulfilment of unfunded mandates delegated by national departments.
As we do so, we begin by noting that there is a song whose words are most appropriate for our session today. The words are: “You can’t always get what you want.” Simple words, indeed, but profound with wisdom.
They are a constant reminder about life and the limits we face as we go about our daily challenges. As we meet today to reflect on our capacity to deliver against our environmental and conservation development agenda, we have no choice but to remember that, indeed, we can’t always get what we want – because the Northern Cape does not have unlimited resources. Although quite frankly, we need more than we get.
In a strange sort of way, however, we have to be thankful that we can’t always get what we want, for that as the Premier knows quite well has forced this department to make its choices wisely. The senior managers have become masters of reprioritization.
The Department of Environment and Nature Conservation has had to make its selections with care and caution, to determine its priorities with rhyme and reason and to engage with strategic stakeholders to derive maximum benefit for the province.
The success of our department, as its catalogue of achievements in the past year will demonstrate, is ascribable to a careful and prudent selection of interventions made with the limited resources at its disposal.
As the English poet Gerard Manley Hopkins says, “Out of little, much; out of much, much more.”
We are, however, mindful that this department is set to play a key role in the roll-out of the economic development of the province. Honourable Speaker, no major infrastructural development can take place in this province unless the appropriate environmental authorization has been issued and this department is a role-player either as a final decision maker or advisor to the appropriate national department. We need the tools and manpower to do our task.
Together with the national Department of Environmental Affairs the five provincial nature reserves have received a major upgrade to the tune of R174-m. Work is drawing to an end and there is an urgent need to properly staff and equip these world-class facilities, but we cannot do so with the funds at hand.
It is estimated that the department will need an additional R10 million per annum to maintain and manage these facilities and urgent interventions from Treasury will have to be sought so that they can be optimally utilized for the benefit of the province and its people. Creating employment opportunities also means that we are able to better maintain our reserves which ensure that our citizens are able to enjoy the beauty of the natural environment.
The fact that the department has not received sufficient funding to carry out its mandate optimally, has now reached critical proportions whereby there are no activities for Climante Change, which is still an unfunded mandate, can be undertaken in this financial year. The department will focus on the submission of funding proposals to various stakeholders and funding agencies within and outside Government.
There is also concern regarding the numerous other unfunded mandates as far back as 2008 which the national department expects the province to implement. These include:
- Threatened or Protected Species Regulations
- Bio-prospecting Access and Benefit Sharing Regulations
- Various Norms and Standards
- Upcoming Alien and Invasive Species Regulations
- Coastal Management legislation and plans.
However, notwithstanding the shortcomings, the department continues to achieve on its mandate, with the following highlights for 2012/13:
Highlights 2012/ 2013
The protection of our rhinos lies close to our hearts and this is shown in the successful DNA marking of 95 percent of the provinces’ rhino population. Not a single rhino has ever been poached in the Northern Cape Province.
The greening of the province received a major boost with the launching of the “Talafatsa Boagisanyi – Greening my neighbourhood” programme with no less than 8 451 trees planted in some of our most dusty townships. The department identified the need for green township rejuvenation and is partnering with Northern Cape municipalities, the regional office of the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and private nurseries to create a green blanket across the province.
The third departmentally sponsored waste recycling centre was established which led to a total of 490 108kg of waste being diverted away from provincial landfill sites in the past year, as part of our waste minimization strategy.
Together with major mining companies air quality monitors have been installed at several sites in the province due to the absence of sufficient Departmental funding. These include Kumba Resources established an air quality monitoring station at Kolomela Iron Ore near Postmasburg for R1 million, BHP Billiton in Hotazel will establish a dedicated and automated monitoring station at a cost of R2,6 million. Plans are in place to analyse the air quality on a monthly basis.
The interest in developing renewable energy sources is most marked in the number of applications the provincial Department of Environment and Nature Conservation has had to comment on. The past year DENC has commented on 141 applications for both solar, wind and PV plants of which 67 authorizations were issued.
During the past year 343 compliance inspections were conducted. Also national and provincial sting operations resulted in, to name but a few, arrests for possession of ivory, poaching of sable, possession of 9 snakes and possession of lion and leopard skins at the Botswana border. Fines of R55 000 and R35 000 were issued respectively.
Three (3) major developments were stopped for transgressing NEMA EIA Regulations and fines to the tune of R670.000 were paid. Equipment (Machinery) utilized in the commission of offences to the value of R3 million was seized.
Towards the end of the 2012/13 financial year 1 500 volunteers from the department, together with units of the South African National Defense Force, the Sol Plaatje Municipality, Keep Kimberley Clean Association, Eskom, African Bank and the Northern Cape Tourism Association embarked on a systematical cleanup of the city centre.
While financial constraints continue to hinder the full roll-out of our Climate Change Response Strategy I can report that a Green House gas inventory for the agricultural sector has been completed to effectively mitigate and adapt to climate change impacts.
The department’s Eco-School programme was given a silver award during the Premier’s Batho Pele Service Excellence Awards. The Goegap Nature Reserve revitalization project received the Kamoso EPWP award for the best provincial Nature Reserve Project in the country.
In recognition of the department’s continued support, the Kimberley Airport (ACSA) awarded the DENC with the Feather Award for its efforts in managing animals on the airport precinct, thus ensuring passengers' safety with landing and departures.
Key deliverables for 2013/ 2014
Honourable Speaker, this department is part of the environmental sector and thus our focus area is Outcome 10: Environmental assets and natural resources that are well protected and continually enhanced. I will now illustrate how the six programs which constitute this department will address this outcome.
Programme I: Administration
In 2012/ 2013 the Department revisited its organizational structure so as to find alignment with the reviewed and approved Sector Budget Structure approved in March 2012 as well as ensuring that functions within various programmes are streamlined and regional presence in all of the critical line function operations is enhanced. The approved organizational structure consists of a total of 570 posts of which 218 posts are filled with an additional 13 vacant funded positions to be filled in the 2013/14 financial year.
This calculates to a vacancy rate of 59% in relation to the 570 posts on the approved organizational structure. The situation is brought about by the lack of funding in that there is no real growth in the Departments budget over the MTEF. The budget will in fact be further cut back with R6 860 000 over the next MTEF.
Whilst the salary budget grew bigger due to the Occupational Dispensation for Environmental, Bio-diversity and scientific staff with the normal annual cost of living adjustments, annual notch increases and the concurrent increase in housing, medical aid, danger, pension and other conditions of services increases, the budget for goods and services has shrunk to the extent that very little is left for operational functions.
The decrease in the operational budget also led thereto that the department cannot adhere to the National Cabinet target of employing Interns of at least 5% of its total staff provision, nor to adhere to targets such as training opportunities for out of school youth.
The department lost 16 Employees through retirement, death, transfers and resignations for the past financial year. We could also manage to, through re-prioritizing funds, fill the posts of Chief Director: Bio-diversity Management as well as Director: Environmental Policy, Planning and Coordination. Our Employment statistics currently displays the following: 44% African, 41% Coloured, 14% Whites and 0.5% Indian.
Three (3) new and one (1) sustained bursaries were awarded to province based tertiary students in the environmental and conservation field, one student has been absorbed in the environmental management directorate and another has been given an extension to do an honours degree. Eleven (11) new and eleven (11) sustained officials benefitted from the departmental bursary fund whilst a hundred and nine (109) departmental officials benefitted from training interventions of the department.
Our Special Programmes Sub-directorate prioritizes mainstreaming of designated groups and contribution towards an empowered, fair and inclusive citizenship. Five (5) dedicated programmes of action will target the active participation and empowerment of a total of 500 women, youth and people with disabilities in the department’s activities.
Programme 2: Environmental Policy, Planning and Coordination
This programme is tasked to ensure the intergration of environmental objectives in provincial and local government planning, development plans making informed decision supported by research and information management.
Besides prioritizing the continued support to Local Municipalities regarding the integration of environmental issues into their IDP documents the programme will focus on the:
- Gazetting of the Namakwa Bioregional Plan
- Implementation of processes for the proclamation of the Orange River Mouth as a protected area (wetland) as well as its delisting from the Montreax Record.
Finalisation of the Provincial Biodiversity Plan
We also welcomed the partnership with SANBI in addressing the critical skills shortage of environmental skills in our province through the implementation of the SANBI Groen Sebenza Incumbent Programme from May this year with the placement of 5 incumbents of which 3 are in the scientific research and GIS Fields.
In the efforts to build environmental capacity at local government level, the Department is currently negotiating with SANBI for the further placement of another 5 incumbents to support this initiative.
The department will host the 10th Kimberley Biodiversity Research Symposium anniversary in Kimberley on 2 September 2013. In celebration of the 10th year it will be a back-to-back event with AZEF (Arid Zone Ecological Forum) which will directly follow from 3 - 5 September 2013 here in Kimberley.
This occasions demonstrate our continue spirit to maintain partnerships with academics and research institutions contributing to skills development of our personnel as well as up and coming young scientist. This will at the same time develop improved sustainable utilisation of our resources.
For this financial year the department will focus on sourcing funds for the development of the Provincial Green House Gas inventory and the Carbon Reduction Strategy.
Programme 3: Compliance and Enforcement
This programme focus on compliance monitoring and enforcement of environmental and biodiversity legislation and will continue to undertake criminal and administrative enforcement actions for non-compliance with environmental, biodiversity and coastal management legislation together with compliance monitoring inspections. Looking at our successes in 2012/13 the message should be clear that we will leave no stone unturned to combat environmental crime.
It however should be noted that much more can be done and with sufficient budget this programme can collect substantial revenue for the province.
Programme 4: Environmental Quality Management
Waste Management will continue to receive special attention. Besides the three provincially sponsored recycling centers I referred to earlier, we will strengthen our efforts to promote waste minimization by supporting waste recycling entrepreneurs in each district with financial and technical assistance and ensure diversion of waste from landfill sites.
Our collaborations with SALGA are on-going and should assist in ensuring that the outstanding unlicensed municipal landfill sites are licensed in terms of National Environmental Management Waste Act (NEMWA). Three (3) landfill sites are prioritized for 2013/2014, are Kgatelopele, !Kai! Gariep and Ubuntu Local Municipalities.
From the department’s side this programme has prioritized the implementation of the Sol Plaatje Municipality Recycling project with a support of R 500 000.00. Sol Plaatje Municipality (SPM) has ring fenced over R5 million to improve the management of the disposal of waste at their Landfill site in Kimberley. The Department of Social Development (DSD) has contributed R100 000.00 in support of the Waste Management Programme.
The Sol Plaatje Municipality WMP will be rolled out to five districts and five (5) Buy back centres will be established in these communities. A total of 20 permanent jobs will be created, but this should increase as the project expands. Several hundred other persons will receive income as collectors of recyclable waste. The satisfying spin off of these recycling projects is the opportunity to have income through the selling of domestic recyclable waste and litter free surroundings.
In support of maintaining litter free communities, a waste management audit will be conducted at all local authorities within the Province. This will assist to determine the level of service being rendered and to identify all the challenges that are being experienced. An implementation plan, with time frames, to address challenges will be compiled and cost.
In our efforts to comply with Ambient Air Quality Standards by 2020, the annual air quality report and the air quality management plan has been finalised. The Air Quality Management Plan remains a critical tool that informs spatial development planning and for the reduction of ambient air quality levels of pollution to meet national and international standards.
National passive sampling has been implemented within the Sol Plaatje Local Municipal area with three (3) sites identified (Greenpoint, Soul City and Kimdustria). The programme stretches over two years and commenced late last year. The findings will be communicated to the communities on a quarterly basis.
The purchasing of continuous monitors in the JT Gaetsewe District Municipality has been approved in principle by the participating mines. Final deliberations are in process. Final site visits to be conducted (Vaal triangle, Postmasburg) where after the monitors will be purchased. The SA Weather Service also procured a continuous monitor for Nieuwoudtville which will be up and running by December 2013.
The programme will again continue with the implementation of the Environmental Management Framework (EMF) Project. This year will see the official launch of the reports on the EMF Projects which will have been completed in the John Taolo Gaetsewe District.
The National Cabinet issued a directive through the National Treasury and the national Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) that all provinces should start to charge and collect a fee for all the applications which we receive for EIAs, for Waste Management Licences and Air Quality Management Licences. Such “Revenue Collection” started in April 2013.
Programme 5: Biodiversity Management
The conservation estate for the Province is currently at 3.58% (1 334 829ha). Further expansion of the conservation estate is underway and documentation for the expansion of Goegap and Oorlogskloof Nature Reserves. The proclamation of four (4) private properties, i.e. Tswalu, Blomfontein, Melkrivier and Wit ClayGat as formal conservation areas will be gazette on the 3rd of June 2013 for public comment.
The document for the proclamation of the Orange River Mouth has been signed by most role-players and should be finalized and gazette before the end of 2013, which will formalize the protection status of our only Ramsar site in the Province. After finalization of all the applicable processes the current conservation estate will expand to 4.70% (1 751 328 ha).
A funding proposal for the review of the Draft Northern Cape Coastal Management Plan has been completed and forwarded for approval. The plan includes options for protection and expansion of protected area network within estuaries and marine protected areas. The funding proposal will be forwarded to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), amongst others, as to solicit technical and or financial support in finalizing the process of aligning the Draft Provincial Coastal Management Plan with the Integrate Coastal Management Act.
The Department remains in close consultation with the National Department of Environmental Affairs in getting the people and parks forums established and it is hoped that the necessary funding related to the successful establishment of the forums can be acquired.
The hunting industry continues to be a great attraction to foreigners with 965 International clients hunting in the province last year. In keeping up with this demand the Department has registered 55 professional hunters and 22 hunting outfitters. The hunting industry has brought in excess of R255 million to the economy of the Norhtern Cape, based on translocation and CITES permits issued.
The top 10 species hunted in the province are Springbok, Blue Wildebeest, Blesbok, Gemsbok, Impala, Warthog, Kudu, Black Wildebeest, Burchells Zebra and Red Hartebeest. Likewise, the hunters essentially came from the USA, Spain, Denmark, Sweden, Russia, France, Czech Republic, Norway, Mexico and United Kingdom.
Programme 6: Environmental Empowerment services
The creation of green jobs has been a major highlight of the Department of Environment and Nature Conservation during the past year and will increasingly play a role in future.
The five provincial nature reserves in the Northern Cape will never be the same again with the Department of Environment and Nature Conservation in conjunction with the national department giving these areas a major facelift. These improvements are being so constructed that these pristine nature areas maintain their specific charm, while vastly improving the existing somewhat rustic facilities.
In the process almost R67 million was paid out in wages alone to more than 1 527 beneficiaries living in largely rural poverty stricken areas of the province including Phillipstown, Petrusville, Van der Kloof, Colesberg, Noupoort, Norvalspont, Bergsig, Matjieskloof, Okiep, Postmasburg, Olifantshoek, Groblershoop and Nieuwoudtville.
These projects have also provided economic opportunities for more than 50 SSMEs from within the effected communities, ranging from transport to brick- paving manufacturing.
During this year efforts will be made to engage local communities in the roll-out of new economic opportunities which these reserves present.
The greening of the province, which I referred to earlier, also saw 109 youth employed using EPWP principles to nurture and care for the trees in 2012/ 2013. This project continues in this financial year.
Similar cleaning and greening projects aimed at addressing poverty in rural areas such as Merriman, Nababeep, Vosburg, Loeriesfontein, De Aar , Groblershoop, Mier and Galeshewe will take place this year.
At the heart of all these projects is the need to give the present grey and drab townships a clean and green-facelift, especially considering the history of previously disadvantaged areas and to promote biodiversity initiatives. In so doing we hope to bring back a measure of civic pride and community upliftment.
In the application of one of the Community Based Natural Resource Management food security project, fruit trees were planted in a small holding outside Barkly West serving as a food supplement to rural children’s homes in 2012/2013. Similar projects will be rolled out throughout the province this year.
As part of our direct interventions with job creation amongst the youth, twenty eight (28) learners were registered to do Nature Conservation Guardianship Learnership Level 4 at Rolfontein Nature Reserve which was sponsored by CATHSSETA and amounted to R940 000.
This year a further 15 will be trained at these reserves as part of the Youth Environmental Services programme. All in all 100 Northern Cape youth will be trained as part of this Department of Environmental Affairs sponsored training intervention, which will run over three years at a cost of R15 million, and implemented throughout the province.
We in the Department of Environment and Nature Conservation are acutely aware that it is only through continuous campaigning that we will spread the environment and conservation message. Last year community campaigns reached 6 102 stakeholders and 20 824 learners and had direct interaction with 1 006 teachers. We intent on increasing these figures this year.
In addition the Northern Cape Eco-schools programme continues to out-strip expectations achieving recognition from all quarters. This voluntary internationally run programme is implemented in conjunction with the Education authorities. Last year Northern Cape schools received 14 green flags, 9 gold certificates, 28 silver certificates and 8 bronze certificates. More than 80 schools have registered this year. Some of the environmental projects identified by participating schools have already made it onto their local authorities IDPs.
Tabling of the Budget Vote
Honourable Speaker and Honourable Members, having outlined the broad plans and priorities for the year, I now have the honour to table Budget Vote 13, Environment and Nature Conservation for 2013/2014. The total amount to be appropriated to fund the requirements of Vote 13 this financial year is R104, 683 million. This amount includes transfers, compensation of employees, goods and services as well as capital payments.
Honourable Speaker, just for noting, the Department receives the smallest portion of the total Provincial allocation.
Our budget increased by 1,88% or R1,935 million only, while our audit fees amount to 2% of our budget. Goods and services account for 28% or R 29,453 million.
We remain, however, committed to both the good cause of delivering a better and quality service to our people, and to our policy goals and we will not lose sight of the fact that our over-riding objective is to create “a better life for all.”
The budget breakdown per programme for this financial year is as follows:
Programme Total Allocation
- Administration R 47,899m
- Environmental Policy, Planning and Coordination R 8,690m
- Compliance and Enforcement R 9,417m
- Environmental Quality Management R 11,017m
- Biodiversity Management R 17,673m
- Environmental Empowerment Services R 9,987m
In conclusion, Honourable Speaker,
I believe it imperative that we thank our Honourable Premier and former MEC for Environment and Nature Conservation, Mrs Sylvia Lucas, for the role she has played during the past four years in steering this department in what at times was unchartered waters. As a department several awards were achieved under her watch. Honourable Speaker, not only is the environmental sector playing an increasing important role in assisting in shaping South Africa and the Northern Cape’s economic future, but the former MEC did so in a way which made her stand out of the crowd.
I have outlined the financial position of this department and we hope that the Premier’s background in environmental affairs, will also lead to a greater understanding by the decision makers, when it comes to future funding of this sector.
We also believe that to achieve most of our goals, we will require support and co-operation from a number of institutions, and our colleagues in the national and local spheres of government, and we call for their partnership.
As I conclude, allow me Honourable Speaker to salute the ruling party, the African National Congress, for continuing to listen to the plight of our people, especially of those marginalized and impoverished.
Honourable Speaker, at this stage I would like to sincerely thank:
My colleagues in the Executive Council and the Provincial Legislature who continue to provide support and encouragement.
The Chairperson and members of Portfolio Committee on Environment and Nature Conservation and the Standing Committee on Public Accounts for their continued support and guidance to the department.
A special thank you is also extended to the Minister and Director General of the Department of Environmental Affairs who continue to provide invaluable support.
My thanks and appreciation goes to the staff of the ministry and the senior management and staff of the department led by the Head of Department, Mr Denver van Heerden, for their continued support towards the achievements of our goals.
I thank you!
