Minister Edna Molewa tables Department of Environmental Affairs 2015/2016 Budget Vote Policy Statement at the National Council of Provinces (NCOP), Cape Town
Honourable Chairperson of the NCOP;
Honourable Deputy Minister, Ms Barbara Thomson, MP;
Honourable Chairperson of the Select Committee;
Honourable Members of the National Council of Provinces;
Honourable Members of Parliament;
Distinguished Chairpersons and Chief Executives of Public Entities;
Distinguished guests;
I have the honour to table the budget, programs and priorities of the Department of Environmental Affairs Vote 27, for 2015/2016.
Honorable Members, when the drafters of our Constitution embodied environmental rights within the Constitution, the apex legal instrument of our country, they evidenced not only foresight, but also an unwavering commitment to recognizing the rights of future generations.
Developing countries such as ours are at greater risk to environmental damage because of increasing demand of resource extraction, reliance on fossil fuels and the vulnerability of indigent communities.
At the same time, we recognize that South Africa’s rich endowment of natural resources and mineral deposits, if used responsibly, can support the transition to a more diverse and inclusive economy, while addressing job creation, poverty and inequality.
The policy instruments that have been put in place by the African National Congress Government, address developmental imperatives in an environmentally sustainable manner, and build resilience to the effects of climate change, particularly in poor communities.
We continue to work with our partners in provinces and municipalities, to ensure that collectively, we meet our constitutional obligations.
Honorable Members, we continue to regard Provinces as the engine rooms of our country: it is in the provinces that practical initiatives of environmental protection and sustainable use of our natural resources are happening; that our young people are working to protect our environment, that investment in the green sector is on the rise; and where jobs are being created for our people.
This national budget is an enabler for our Provinces, Localities and Communities to work together and ensure that our country’s future development trajectory is charted.
It is within this context that we continue to register successes: that range from the continent’s biggest solar photo-voltaic (PV) plants in the Gamagara District Municipality in the Northern Cape being connected to the national energy grid, to the opening of Africa’s first Coca-Cola contracted bottle-to-bottle recycling plant in the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality in Gauteng, to the Climate Resilience project for small-scale farmers in the uMgungundlovu District Municipality in Kwa-Zulu Natal.
The environmental sector continues to be a hub of job creation, foreign direct investment, and skills training. It is our obligation to ensure that this sector contributes positively to our government’s job creation targets.
Green Economy
Honorable Members, the impact of a Climate Change caused by greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions poses one of the greatest developmental challenges of the 21st century. This necessitates that we prioritize Climate Change responses that have significant GHG mitigation benefits, simultaneously addressing economic growth.
Through our Green Economy Strategy, we continue to promote equitable, inclusive and sustainable economic growth and social development.
Our Green Economy Strategy has 8 key pillars, namely; green buildings and the built environment; sustainable transport and infrastructure; clean energy and energy efficiency; natural resource conservation and management; sustainable waste management; water management; sustainable consumption and production and agriculture food production and forestry.
As outlined in our Integrated Resource Plan, by 2030 we aim to have changed our energy sources significantly, through technological innovation, efficiency in behavioral practice and public commitment to other areas like transport, water use and managing the waste that we generate.
Let me turn to the programmes that focus on optimizing the economic and job creation contribution of the environmental sector.
As indicated previously, we are well advanced in implementing one of our key interventions to facilitate the transition to a green economy: through the National Green Fund, established in 2012.
In 2012, this fund was allocated an initial amount of R800m and has now received an additional R590 million over the MTEF to continue its work.
As at 2015, we had approved 53 projects across the country, that are being implemented under the Green Fund. Among these is the Youth Jobs in Waste initiative that's was piloted in Phutaditjhaba in the Free State and is now being implemented in all Provinces. This project boosts the capacity of the municipalities to delivery on waste services.
Youth have been placed in municipalities as Landfill site Assistants, Waste Collection Administrators, and Environmental Awareness Educators. This program has been rolled out in six Provinces namely, the Free State, North West, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Gauteng and Eastern Cape.
We can state with confidence that not only is this very successful program assisting our municipalities in meeting service delivery needs, but it also provides dignity and quality of life to our people.
Importantly, these projects under implementation by the department have resulted in the collection and recycling over 8 million kilograms of waste in 2014.
These projects are yielding positive results in terms of job creation with approximately 8 124 opportunities created and at least 6 300 individuals trained since 2013. Some of these young people will move on to careers in the sector, or start their own business ventures.
Indeed, Ladies and Gentlemen, in the environmental sector, we are working. Siyaqhuba!
EPWP Environmental Programmes
Honourable Chairperson,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) has been the primary vehicle through which we as the Department of Environmental Affairs deliver on our job creation mandate.
Our EPWP budget of over R8 billion over the MTEF is for the implementation of concrete programs in the land restoration, water resource and ecosystem service management sectors.
The Deputy Minister will address the EPWP Environmental Programs in her address. However I am pleased to report that we are on course towards delivering on the commitment made by the ANC in its manifesto to create 5 million job opportunities.
In the 2014/2015 financial years, work opportunities were created through our EPWP Environmental Programs, such as Working on Fire, Working for Water, Working for Wetland, Working for Coasts and the People and Parks programme. They continue to have an impact on not just sustainable rural development and job creation: but also on Climate Change Adaptation and resilience co-benefits.
Waste
The waste sector continues to be a source of job creation co-benefits. Reducing, recovering or minimizing waste provides opportunities for socio-economic development; new jobs and businesses; maximizing resource recovery for downstream manufacturing growth and reducing reliance on declining natural resources.
As we deal with unlicensed landfill sites, in supporting of our Province, we have to date licensed 178 out of a total of 341, the outstanding unlicensed and the 69 newly identified are in the process of licensing in this financial year.
The Integrated Waste Management Plans that we implement in consultation with Municipalities primarily assist Municipalities to plan for the recycling of waste, waste infrastructure and the expansion of waste services to unserviced households.
During the financial year of 2014/15, the Department trained 106 municipal officials in 31 Local Municipalities within the 27 priority District Municipalities to develop their own Integrated Waste Management Plans using the IWMP guideline and web-portal.
In this financial year, we will continue with the training of 200 Municipality officials on the development of Integrated Waste Management Plans using the portal and other aspects of sustainable waste management.
Another success story has been the waste tyre-recycling sector.
In November 2012 we approved the implementation of the REDISA plan, an industry waste tyre management plan. Its objective is to promote the sound management of waste tyres while also contributing to economic growth.
As of December 2014, the following milestones have been achieved:
- 53 143T (31%) of the waste tyres have been diverted away from landfill: either being recycled, used for energy recovery or re-used
- 1981 jobs have been created
- 181 SMME's have been created in transporting, depot operations, processing and micro collectors
In terms of our 2015/16 financial year plans the sector will create 254 additional SMMEs, increase the quantities of the waste tyres diverted away from landfill and create an additional 2600 jobs.
I will now address programmes and priorities to enhance and safeguard environmental health and integrity.
Chemicals
The chemicals sector remains an important contributor to our economy. However, the unmanaged releases of hazardous chemicals into the environment pose significant risk.
We have prioritized the development of a sound chemicals management policy, regulation, compliance and implementation programme for this year.
A further priority will be to facilitate the implementation of the secondary asbestos remediation plan.
Construction of the asbestos-free Mafefe Traditional Council office is underway in the Limpopo Municipality. The Khiba School constructed with asbestos in the John Taolo Gaetsewe District Municipality in the Northern Cape has been shut and learners have been moved to a temporary learning facility in Ga-Mopedi village, with a new school scheduled for construction later this year.
Air Quality
This ANC government continues to advance pro-poor and predevelopment air quality laws and regulations.
Industry compliance has been assessed and it is expected that full compliance with the new air quality standards will be attained by 2025- in line with the staggered implementation approach. This will be attained without hindering the growth of a sustainable economy.
102 government-owned monitoring stations country widened data to the South African Air Quality Information System managed by the South African Weather Services.
Biodiversity Management
Honourable Members, one of our priorities for this year is growing a sustainable, inclusive and transformed biodiversity economy within communities.
In the past, our biodiversity resources were exploited to the exclusion of communities who are at times owners of the indigenous knowledge.
Last year, we concluded the process of amending the Bio-Prospecting, Access and Benefit Sharing Regulations. This was to streamline the permitting process as well to address key constraints in the policy to ensure effective and efficient participation by all key role players in the sector.
In the village of Dakeni near Eshowe in Zululand, the Edakeni Muthi Futhi Trust is one examples of how this government’s progressive legislation has resulted in community benefits. This women-led cooperative cultivates, processes and produces African medicinal plants into commercial products.
The women of Muthi Futhi also run a sales nursery and a processing plant on site, while following best practice in terms of environmental compliance and other regulatory requirements. The wider community also benefits, having a profit share in the business.
This year, we will embark on further awareness raising and capacity building with relevant Government Departments, communities, and the regulated sectors to ensure smooth transition to the new regulatory requirements.
We will be hosting a Second Biodiversity Economy Indaba this year to consult with stakeholders on the opportunities, challenges and solutions to grow the sector.
We will also use this occasion to handover new bio-prospecting permits to various communities.
One of the core wildlife economy resources is our strategy to expand the network of national parks, heritage sites, botanical gardens and other public and private protected areas.
Our protected areas and reserves not only provide core areas for the provision of ecosystem services, such as the delivery of clean water, but also provide the base attraction infrastructure for our tourism industry.
In 2014 our National Botanical Gardens received their highest ever number of visitors and own income generated since the establishment of the network more than 100 years ago, exceeding 1.8 million.
During the past financial year, 52 486 beneficiaries were reached through SANBI’s Biodiversity Education Programme. Of these beneficiaries, 11 538 learners were from 145 schools attending for the first time.
An amount of R950 million has also been allocated to SANParks for infrastructural development, while another R42 million has been allocated for road improvements. An additional R12 million has been allocated to repair of SANParks flood damaged infrastructure.
These initiatives don’t only create sustainable employment for many communities adjacent to national parks but they also contribute to driving rural and regional sustainable development.
People and Parks
Honourable Members our government has made a commitment to include local communities in decision-making forums on conservation management. In all areas where there has been protected area restituted, we apply the co-management framework and approach.
In partnership with Department of Rural Development and Land Reform we hosted The People and Parks Conference, where 14 communities received their land back and title deeds were handed over to claimants whose land forms part of protected areas.
Largely through the People and Parks Programme, community members have been appointed to conservation management authorities Boards, park forums and co-management committees: giving them a direct say in the natural resource management of their communities.
The best way of ensuring transformation in conservation is through infrastructure development, job creation, enterprise and skills development. We have set aside an amount of R3b over the MTEF period to support these communities in developing the necessary infrastructure on the land returned to them. R796m has been earmarked for the People and Parks Program.
Conservation
Honourable Members, it is ironic that our very success in conserving South Africa’s biodiversity has made us a target for unscrupulous operators involved in organized, transnational environmental and wildlife crime.
Environmental crime results in devastating impacts on species, ecosystems that attracts tourists to our shores, sustainable livelihoods, economies, and national and regional security.
Despite huge increases in our security investment and international cooperation efforts, rhino poaching continues apace in South Africa.
We will continue to intensify the Integrated Strategic Management Approach that was adopted by Cabinet late last year, which continues to yield successes in terms of arrests of suspected poachers, as well as the disruption of criminal syndicates.
Our fight against poaching was bolstered recently through the handover of four vehicles of 4X4 forensic trailers to SANParks, the North West, Limpopo and Mpumalanga. This was as part of the funding provided by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the United Nations Environment Program’s Rhino Programme. This will assist in the investigation of rhino poaching and other wildlife crime.
Our appreciation goes to all South Africans who continue to support us in this fight.
Oceans and Coast
Honourable Members, we are hard at work in implementing our Oceans and Coastal Management Policy as well as our Oceans Economy Strategy, as outlined last year. These identify economic opportunities presented by the sustainable use and management of our oceans.
Led by President Jacob Zuma and guided by the National Development Plan, we launched Operation Phakisa in July last year as a “big fast results mechanism” to seize these oceans economy opportunities.
The implementation of this Ocean Economy intervention is well underway and within the Marine Protection and Governance Pillar, a budget allocation of R85 million has been prioritized to develop the Marine Spatial Plan.
Finally, I will now briefly touch on our efforts to influence the global development agenda.
Climate Change and Sustainable Development
To bolster our allocated Departmental budget in support of our national sustainable development effort, the Department has mobilized a total of US$ 80 million from international sources over the next 3 years.
These internationally supported initiatives will promote among others, organic waste-to-energy and other low-carbon technologies in small and medium-scale enterprises.
Climate Change
Ladies and Gentlemen, effective adaptation responses to Climate Change are founded on delivering basic developmental objectives and prioritizing those interventions that have socio economic benefits, job creation, public health, risk management and poverty alleviation benefits.
In ensuring that our country’s food, water, energy and infrastructure security is not negatively impacted by Climate Change, we have developed Long Term Adaptation Scenarios to inform planning.
Our priority focus areas are communities which are most vulnerable to the impacts of Climate Change, in particular, the indigent, rural dwellers and women.
The South African National Biodiversity Institute, (SANBI) has been appointed as the National Implementing Entity (NIE) of the Global Adaptation Fund.
We are currently implementing projects that received funding through this NIE, to the value of USD 10 million. These are among others, the enhancement of early warning systems, protecting local communities from extreme weather events, and promoting climate smart agriculture practices.
Globally, we are active participant in multilateral Climate Change negotiations ahead of the 21st UN Climate Change Convention (UNFCCC) CoP to be held in Paris, in December 2015.
Our mandate remains to ensure that the Green Climate Fund and all Institutions and mechanisms are operationalized- and that we finalize an agreement that is of legal force, is fair and applicable to all, and is based on the principles of the Convention, in particular, Common but Differentiated Responsibilities.
We will continue to engage in an intensive public consultation process to develop our Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDCs) and will submit our INDCs well in time for the determined deadline.
Ladies and Gentlemen, as the milestones highlighted indicate, we as South Africa have much to be proud of with regards to our environmental regime.
We are hard at work Moving South Africa Forward, facilitating poverty eradication programs, promoting inclusive growth through job creation, and above all, conserving the environment for future generations, as mandated by the Constitution of the Republic.
Let us all work together to realize the vision of a cleaner, greener South Africa.
I thank you!
