enforcement drive
15 March 2007
South Africa's highly specialised environmental police force, Environmental
Management Inspectors (EMIs), popularly referred to as the "Green Scorpions",
will be out in full force on Thursday, 15 March 2007, as they embark on a
countrywide environmental enforcement drive to crack down on environmental
offenders in the continual quest for environmental protection.
The first in a series of planned quarterly enforcement days will see
inspectors across the country execute scheduled enforcement activities ranging
from conducting site inspections in determining compliance levels, to
disseminating information to the public in an effort to increase environmental
enforcement awareness.
A joint initiative between the national Department of Environmental Affairs
and Tourism and the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Agriculture and Environmental
Affairs will see Environmental Management Inspectors conducting a compliance
inspection at the Foskor chemical plant in Richards Bay. Inspectors will
undertake a full compliance audit at the Foskor plant in relation to
environmental permits and legislation. KZN MEC ME Mthimkhulu, together with a
team of both national and provincial âGreen Scorpions,â specialising in
compliance monitoring, enforcement, chemical and hazardous waste, air quality,
pollution and waste as well as Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA)s will
visit the site.
The disposal of waste will be the focal point of action as Environmental
Management Inspectors from the Northern Cape Department of Environment and
Tourism descend on abattoirs in the Kgalagadi District, in and near
Kuruman.
Marine and Coastal Management (MCM) inspectors intend to carry out
enforcement in relation to illegal slipways, off road vehicles and unregistered
launching sites in the Western Cape. The Western Cape Department of Environment
and Development Planning will undertake a compliance drive in the Paarl and
Stellenbosch areas.
A compliance notice will be served on Aid Safe hazardous waste facility on
the East Rand in Gauteng by Environmental Management Inspectors from the
Gauteng Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Environment (GDACE), for
contravening the conditions of their Environmental Impact Assessment Record of
Decision.
Table Mountain National Park Environmental Management Inspectors will be
monitoring the Table Mountain National Park coastline for criminal activity
through boat patrols and vessel checking.
Environmental Management Inspectors from Kruger National Park and Mpumalanga
Tourism and Parks Agency will jointly be monitoring the Sabie River for illegal
fishing. An education and awareness campaign is part of the day's line-up, as
inspectors engage with fishermen on the topic of illegal fishing in an effort
to address this serious challenge affecting the Sabie River.
The nationwide environmental enforcement drive on Thursday, 15 March 2007
seeks to raise awareness levels around environmental crimes while educating the
public on the critical role of community participation in protecting and
sustaining the environment for future generations.
The Environmental Management Inspectorate is a network of environmental
enforcement officials from different government departments (national,
provincial and municipal). EMIs monitor compliance with and enforce the
specific environmental legislation they have been mandated to enforce in their
designations by the Minister or relevant MEC.
Currently approximately 890 EMIs have either been designated or are awaiting
designation countrywide and will provide South Africa with the largest
environmental police force in the history of South Africa's conservation and
environmental protection efforts.
Members of the public and stakeholders are urged to report environmental
transgressions to the 24 hour Environmental Crimes and Incident Hotline on 0800
205 005.
Visit http://www.deat.gov.za for
additional information on the Environmental Management Inspectorate.
For media queries, contact:
Roopa Singh
Cell: 082 225 3076
National Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism
Melissa Fourie
Cell: 072 306 8888
Northern Cape Department of Environment and Tourism
Tokgamo Gaoraelwe
Cell: 082 828 0234
Table Mountain National Park
Robin Adams
Cell: 082 923 1389
Gauteng Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Environment
Tebogo Twala
Cell: 082 334 2900
Kruger National Park and Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency
Frik Rossouw from SANParks
Cell: 082 908 3056
Western Cape Department of Environment and Development Planning
Lynette Johns
Cell: 083 310 0113
Issued by: Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism
15 March 2007
