delivered by MEC LBG Ndabandaba
2 May 2006
Part A: Agriculture
Mr Speaker
Honourable Premier and colleagues in the Executive
Deputy Speaker
Honourable Members of the Provincial Legislature
Members of the Media
Distinguished guests, fellow citizens
Ladies and gentlemen
I am extremely honoured to stand before you today to table my third
departmental budget. This exercise is to me once again a historic event in the
evolution of agriculture in the province of KwaZulu-Natal. I can proudly state
that today we are proud citizens of the great province of KwaZulu-Natal, which
is part of a great South African nation a nation that is experiencing a period
of unprecedented growth and stability.
Indeed we are servants of a nation of âHope,â inspired as we are by a
leadership that has put the well-being of our people first. This âAge of Hopeâ
mentioned by our president has bestowed upon us, as custodians of the resources
of our people, a great noble and stupendous task. Such a task is calculated to
ensure that all South Africans, irrespective of race, gender or creed are equal
beneficiaries of our growth, development and prosperity as envisaged in the
Freedom Charter, more than half a century ago.
We are serious about empowering those who were previously disadvantaged,
because we know that our age is an age of power incredible power, media power,
technological power, and money power to lift up and throw down like a great
tornado. To obtain the kind of power Iâm talking about, an emerging farmer will
need more than courage and brute strength. The emerging farmer will need
knowledge, strength and stamina - and above all, how to retain passion,
compassion, and commitment in the face of unending complication and seemingly
inseparable barriers.
To some, South Africa looks set to sustain growth at its fastest pace in
more than 20 years. This is cause for great jubilation. However, let us not
forget that growth on its own does not necessarily trickle down to those at the
bottom and marginal end of the societal spectrum.
Nowhere else than in our country is this current and projected economic
growth needed. It is common knowledge that we live in a country characterised
by a dual economy. The majority of our people are located within the second
economy that continues to be characterised by unacceptable levels of poverty,
unemployment, disease, low savings, low productivity from low investment and
lack of adequate basic services. This economy is also limited by a skewed bias
towards unsustainable subsistence levels that are not matched by a commercial
focus, especially in agriculture. This limits the prospects of our farmers to
become full and equal participants in the agricultural economy.
This unpalatable truth about our society, more than ten years into our
democracy requires that we further intensify our delivery of services to people
trapped in this vicious cycle of poverty and underdevelopment.
This challenge further requires that we play our role in fulfilling our
constitutional mandate of ensuring that our people enjoy their social and
economic rights by addressing the historical legacies of injustice and give our
future generations a chance to enjoy broad based and equally distributed
economic growth. The challenge here is to address the implications of the dual
economy upon the lives of ordinary South Africans.
It is in this spirit that our government has unveiled the Accelerated and
Shared Growth Initiative for South Africa (AsgiSA). In his State of the Nation
Address, the President identified agriculture as one of those sectors earmarked
for accelerated economic growth. As a province and as a department therefore,
ours is an obligation to play a role in realising the objectives of this
programme.
Mr Speaker
Let me assure you then, that my department is ready to play a meaningful
role in the realisation of AsgiSAâs goal of making sure that we halve poverty
and unemployment by 2014. I will expand on specific ways of doing this later
on.
In his State of the Province Address, the Honourable Premier, Manzankosi,
reminded us of our duty to honour our heroes. He spoke of the centenary of our
gallant hero Bambatha kaMancizaâs spirit of resistance.
It is important that when we commemorate this event we reflect on exactly
what propelled Bambatha to war and resulted in his making the ultimate
sacrifice. Part of the colonialist strategy of introducing the Poll Tax
Ukhandampondo was to drive Africans off their land by making them providers of
cheap labour to the white economy. This aspect of the rebellion is important to
me as a person and as a Minister responsible for agriculture.
In the last two State of the Province Addresses, the Honourable Premier has
outlined the challenges faced by the Province and given direction on what needs
to be done to impact on socio-economic development priorities discussed and
agreed upon by the Cabinet at Didima in August 2005. It is not surprising that
the Agrarian Revolution was amongst the key development projects that were
adopted.
The province is widely recognised as enjoying a âcomparative advantageâ in
agriculture. We aim to realise that advantage by utilising all of the
provinceâs 590 Bio-resource regions to produce export quality vegetables, fruit
and meat products which we will export to the West, Middle East and Asia.
Agrarian revolution is meant to introduce new mechanisms for making this a
reality.
Agrarian Revolution is also aimed at changing the reliance on the
importation of basic food stuffs and to bring down food prices through a
comprehensive support programme for emerging farmers which will address; (1)
dramatic reduction in farming input costs, (2) provision of mechanisation, and
(3 ) access to research on better production processes.
The Departmentâs methodology for agricultural development is outlined in our
five year 2005-2010 strategic plan. In a nutshell, we want to use this strategy
to move subsistence farmers upwards towards the first economy.
During his State of the Province Address, the Premier emphatically announced
that
âin this year government will be rolling out a comprehensive set of programmes
and interventions designed to accelerate growth and to create wealth in numbers
that we have to date not dreamt possible.â
Mr Speaker,
Let me reiterate our commitment to this course. The Honourable Premier,
Members of the Executive, Members of Parliament, the Portfolio Committees,
communities and all the citizens of the Province have seen the work of the
Department in the field and on the environment. We have listened to the call of
our Honourable Premier and have swiftly âgone back to the country sideâ and
started the Agrarian Revolution. Honourable Premier, we have heeded your call
to deal with the scourge of food-insecurity that is facing us. Now that we have
arrived âin the country sideâ, we are not just âmeandering through the country
sideâ. As soldiers and freedom fighters we have begun the ârolling mass-action
on the country sideâ as never seen before. We are awakening and rekindling the
giant of the country side with the Siyavuna programme. Mr. Speaker, Impi
kaBambatha kaManciza isemasimini kulonyaka.
Challenges and Priorities
Before I outline our action of the Siyavuna Programme as articulated through
our Agrarian Revolution Strategy, I must first outline challenges and areas
that we have prioritised as being key to the success of this revolution.
Firstly, we aim to provide stronger support to farmers in the areas
of:
* Co-operatives development
* Research
* Training and capacity building for both internal and external
stakeholders
* Provision of infrastructure
* Financing mechanisms
Secondly, we are strengthening governance and institutional mechanisms,
which includes
* Developing key policies and revamping relevant legislation
* Monitoring and evaluation
* Strengthening Information, Communication and Technology (ICT)
Thirdly, we are playing a significant role in the facilitation of
markets;
Fourthly, strengthening our collaboration with other government
departments;
And lastly, ensuring continued robust engagement with our stakeholders.
Mr Speaker,
As we continue the journey of restitution and land reform, we must also
intensify the support we give to our people as historic custodians of this
land. It is my departmentâs continued desire to ensure that we provide adequate
support to our farmers and other land users.
At the July 2005 Cabinet Lekgotla the Provincial Land Claims Commissioner
tabled a report where some 78, 294 hectares were handed over to some 4,742
households to benefit just over 28,452 people (in the form of on-farm
infrastructure delivery, housing, and job creation opportunities) in this
Province from September 2005. This initiative continues to enjoy full
integration and support of the Department. A total of R21m is being spent
within this MTEF period. 11 million people are experiencing direct benefits,
where up to 38 thousand hectares are involved.
Key among these has been the Mzabane Makhoba project, where the community is
receiving more than R7m for a variety of infrastructure activities, which
are:
* poultry housing
* establishment of a 50ha orchard of apricots and peaches
* building of 2 reservoirs
* disilting of dams
* installation of a pivot irrigation system
Central to this development is water availability. In fact I believe that
the water resources of the Mzabane Makhoba Community have been resolved with
these interventions.
We feel the same pressure with regards to the dire plight and expectations
of the people from Umzimkhulu who have joined this Province. We welcome the
community of Umzimkhulu and promise the same level of service delivery towards
supporting them.
Mr. Speaker
A total of R404m has been spent by National Department of Agriculture and
Land Affairs to acquire about 134 thousand hectares of land and return it to
its rightful owners. This land cannot be allowed to lie fallow and deteriorate
as has happened elsewhere. Following in the spirit of what we are already doing
for the Mzabane Makhoba Community, and all the other communities briefly
mentioned above, we have to provide for the support of all these communities in
our budgets for this year and beyond.
Furthermore, Hlanganani Bhekuzulu has ventured into craft production through
the use of the wetland resources â reeds. It is anticipated that they will
explore the national market through the assistance of other development and
business institutions.
Mr Speaker
Our support to the farmers and interventions in various farming support
services including infrastructure can be categorised into five key areas,
namely:
* Provision of Animal Handling facilities
* Irrigation interventions
* Fencing activities
* Shed storage
* Water provisioning.
At this point let me indicate that the provision of domestic water is not a
mandate of the department. However, efforts like the drilling of boreholes, the
disilting of dams, the provision of reservoirs and the provision of irrigation
systems, is necessary to ensure a sustainable agricultural activity, but has
also benefited human beings in many areas.
Mr. Speaker,
The Honourable Premier also identified the Agrarian Revolution Strategy as an
important pillar of the Provincial Growth and Development Strategy (PGDS) to
fight poverty and unemployment in KwaZulu-Natal. I am further delighted that
the Hon. Premier is committed in ensuring that this Agrarian Revolution is
implemented and realise its objectives. Manzankosi we are behind you!!
Agriculture and sustainable use of our environmental resources play an
important role in poverty alleviation whilst creating employment for our people
who have been denied the right to a dignified life for decades. We will not
falter in our fight to restore the dignity of the majority of our people who
are still suffering from neglect and lack of opportunity to live a better
life.
We have committed a significant amount of our resources to contribute to the
alleviation of poverty. Maps from the Department of Health have provided
valuable insight into âwhereâ the Department should be focusing its mass food
security projects. As a result of this intergovernmental co-operation and a
sharing of technical expertise, the department has been able to direct itâs
planning and is in a better position to scientifically respond to the food
security demand. These focus areas will establish an important baseline from
which the province can contribute to rooting out hunger and filling the
stomachs of the most vulnerable, i.e. children and the elderly. The Honourable
Premierâs emphasis on co-operative governance echoes the 16th century poet,
John Dunne who said: âNo man is an island unto himselfâ. (I am sure that he was
not gender sensitive in that day and age) This is very true in the farming
world. The Honourable Premier and the Executive Council has given a clear
leadership mandate of the poverty reduction programme and initiative to the
Department in collaboration with other Departments as this is a cross-cutting
priority of the PGDS. To this end we continue to partner strategically with the
Department of Transport in giving effect to this vision. For example the joint
programme of action through the âAfrican Renaissance Road Upgrading Programmeâ
(ARRUP), which provides access routes to production sites and markets.
Mr. Speaker
The food security programme in partnership with the Department of Health will
focus on provision of fresh produce from back yard gardens, including
diversified products such as mushroom and dry land rice. We hope such
interventions will reduce diseases and thus result in lower numbers of people
requiring medical attention.
In addition, together with various municipalities, we utilise the Spatial
Framework, which is a useful tool in directing both the Siyavuna Flagship
projects, as well as providing Municipalities with a clear guideline for the
Development for their Integrated Development Plans (IDPs) and District
Agricultural Plans.
Mr Speaker,
We have been reminded by the President in his State of the Nation Address, that
this year marks the 30th anniversary of the Soweto uprising where he further
stated the need for intensifying youth development by all spheres of
government. The President went on further to state the need for close
monitoring of the impact of our programs on youth skills training and business
empowerment.
It is in that light that the Department continues to strengthen programmes
for youth and women in its Programme of Action. Two of the departmentâs
flagship or high level priority programmes are run by the Youth and Women
Directorate. These are Mushroom & Dryland Rice and Nguni Project.
The Nguni Livestock Project which was successfully launched in February 2006
and seeks to bring back the lost dignity and pride of the Zulu people. This
programme is run by the Youth and Women Directorate. In total over R27million
is allocated to this activity including the mushroom and dryland rice projects
which are high impact projects exclusively for the benefit of youth and women
development in Agriculture. There are other initiatives such as the Nguni Goat
and the Indigenous Zulu Fowl projects that empower youth and women in addition
to various large scale crop, environmental and animal husbandry interventions.
Mr. Speaker, we could be holding the candle for youth and women development in
the Province and we are grateful to this House for continued support as these
interventions are important in engaging our youth who are fast entering into
undesirable activities.
The Female Farmer of the Year Competition will be run again this year as our
effort to recognise and develop women in Agriculture. Mr Speaker, we have seen
phenomenal growth of this initiative over the last two years and note the
improved quality of the entrants from all the development levels of the sector.
This can only be encouraged.
In this regard Mr Speaker, I am proud to say that last yearâs entry
indicates a competitive positioning of the Provincial sector in the national
competition as our women won three categories nationally. We are honoured that
Honourable Minister Thoko Didiza has indicated that this yearâs event will be
hosted by this Department. We applaud her for the confidence she has placed in
us as a province to host such a prestigious National event.
Mr Speaker,
It is true that greater effort is required for a meaningful impact and greater
access to opportunities for farmer development if we are to come closer to the
Human Development Index and the Millennium Development Goals. Again, we are
encouraged by the Presidentâs direction and the Honourable Premierâs support of
the Agrarian Revolution, including the Co-operative Movement.
The Co-operative Movement in the Province has not received adequate
attention and deserves our developmental prioritisation and support, as it
happens in other developing economies such as India, China, Egypt, Namibia,
Indonesia and Brazil. As we know, co-operatives are the oldest form of
advancing the social trading and economic growth of local areas dating back to
1844.
In addition to co-operatives, we would like to fast track the implementation
of AgriBEE which we recognise to date has not had the desired impact because of
the market conditions, access to land and financial support to Black Farmers
and the Agribusiness sector. Mr Speaker, I am delighted that this financial
year such interventions will be possible because of increased budget
allocations.
Mr. Speaker
We now need to turn the tide and breathe life into the Co-operative Movement in
the Province of KwaZulu-Natal. A additional budget of R110million has been
allocated to the Department for 2006/2007 to support the Co-operative Movement.
This is over and above the R280 million set aside for the Agrarian Revolution.
The Department has created a unit called Agrarian Development Support Programme
to advance the support to co-operatives and will in future extend support to
other developmental initiatives such as the Midmar and Makhathini Developments.
The Department is starting with existing co-operatives that will have to comply
with certain structural adjustments in order to ensure that they are
sustainable and impact on economic growth. These adjustments relate to
ownership, training, shared use of resources, value chain logistics and market
access.
Mr. Speaker
The Department of Agriculture and Environmental Affairs has overhauled the
processes that lock productive inputs against the small dispersed initiatives
that require greater costs to pull together in order to impact the economic and
social development goals. It is increasingly becoming unproductive to support
direct grants and transfers as a policy to fast track service delivery as we
have done in the past two financial years. This created an unplanned allocation
of resources and thereby impacting less positively on the economy.
In our planning for 2006/2007, we have taken into account these lessons from
direct grants and built this into a framework that supports the farmer or a
beneficiary to a degree that it will be unlikely to fail an initiative, project
or programme that will be funded from this yearâs budget allocation. This
policy shift and the new framework are called âBuild, Operate, Train and
Transfer (BOTT)â. In this framework the Department undertakes to build the
entire infrastructure, operate it, train the communities or beneficiaries and
after three years transfer that asset as a viable/sustainable operating entity
to the beneficiaries.
This will give far reaching revolutionary impetus to our programmes. The
Department has reached these great frontiers because of the restructuring to
free up resources internally and externally so that we can begin to do things
we have not done before.
The Department continues to derive better resource allocation from the
restructuring process which assists in the better allocation of resources for
Siyavuna Programme implementation. Over 60% of the Departments budget is
allocated to service delivery which is attributable to the restructuring
process and this is commendable. This restructuring has also seen the
appointment of women to senior management positions and officers of colour in
the department.
Mr Speaker
The Agrarian Revolution strategy has far reaching implications for the Province
and we have set in motion a review of all related policies, legislative and
regulatory arrangements that might inhibit and or promote the strategy. This
process is in its embryonic stages and might result in the Agrarian Development
Bill being tabled later this year, in this House, to deal with all the
intergovernmental and sectoral streamlining of institutional arrangements
between the State, citizens and all stakeholders, should the reforms of current
policies be insufficient.
Mr Speaker,
Human development is the foundation of our success as a nation and as a
Province. We therefore view training in a very serious light. We need to build
the capacity of our farmers, as much as we need to have a well capacitated and
empowered workforce. The success of Agrarian Revolution hinges on a well
trained and capacitated workforce, as well as skilled employees.
It is for this reason that the Department will be establishing a Training
Directorate which will drive capacity building within the department as well as
within the Agricultural sector as a whole. We have also restructured our
Agricultural Colleges. We are merging the two colleges so that one college will
emerge, namely KwaZulu-Natal Agricultural College, with an operational centre
in each of our two regions (North and South). The Department will continue to
partner with Zakhe Agricultural Training Institute in these initiatives.
As a result of these initiatives, the Department continues to create
opportunities for the sector in the whole agricultural value chain. This human
development initiative is in line with the priorities outlined in the PGDS and
we are pleased with progress thus far. Already, 86 projects are planned for
2006/2007 and the beneficiaries will undergo the mentorship programme. To this
end, an amount of R10m has been set aside for training and mentorship.
Mr. Speaker
As part of our skills development, the Department has awarded 537 part-time and
45 full time bursaries to address the problem of scarce skills within the
Department. In addition, the Department has a bursary scheme for students
outside the Department to broaden the skills base of the agricultural
sector.
The Department has also undertaken to restructure its flagging extension
staff, along commodity lines and to engage in a massive programme of
reskilling. This is to ensure that we have a skilled workforce to meet the
challenges of the Siyavuna Programme
Mr Speaker,
The department has heeded the call to contribute to national human capacity
building. In this regard, we have initiated a robust programme to assist
unemployed graduates and learners requiring experiential training to be able to
finalise their qualifications. During the last cycle the Department assisted
215 learners, and is currently assisting 95 interns and 55 experiential
learners and aims to expand this number to 218 learners in 2006/2007.
The Department has also made a concerted effort to assist its employees that
are illiterate to learn to read and write and currently has 540 learners who
are being taught by 67 voluntary tutors. This Adult Based Education and
Training (ABET) programme is set to continue until the whole Departmental
workforce is able to read and write.
Before I conclude my presentation on Agriculture, Mr Speaker, let me
reiterate and reemphasise the significant role that is being played by
international relations in our growth and development as presented by the
Premier in his State of the Province Address. The Premier stated that careful
selection of international partners is paying dividends to our province.
As you may be aware, we have recently visited India and inter alia visited
the Province of Punjab. The similarities between Punjab and KwaZulu-Natal are
striking. As is the case with our province, Punjab has a mostly rural based
population of whom the largest part is involved in the agricultural sector. By
utilising its land potential efficiently and using appropriate and relatively
simple technology and equipment on an average of 1 hectare per farmer Punjab is
able to produce food not only for itself, but supplies as much as 80% of
Indiaâs food requirements. Punjab is therefore quite unique in the sense that
although its people do not own large tracts of land, they still manage to feed
themselves and prosper economically.
On the contrary, whilst our farmers in our Province sometimes own up to 600
hectares, they still have not managed to attain the levels of efficiency that
have been attained by the Punjab people. We in KwaZulu-Natal are currently
vastly under-utilising our agricultural resources with large tracts of land
lying fallow. Our department plans to change this situation. We plan to leave
no land untouched.
Mr Speaker,
We will use the lessons learned from Punjab. As it is, and as the Premier
announced in his State of the Province Address, we have already placed an order
of some small appropriate equipment to address the problems associated with
emergent farming. Furthermore, a group of hand picked experts from Punjab will
be arriving in KwaZulu-Natal to work with our counterparts around key
challenges facing our emerging farmers particularly around water provision, low
cost irrigation techniques suitable for massive production but using
appropriate technologies.
The Bi-national Co-operative Agreement between South Africa and Flanders has
seen funding being directed to food security. We are thankful to Manzankosi to
take such a decision that will enhance the implementation of the Siyavuna
Programme. This exciting programme will be rolled out from the selected pilot
areas to the rest of KwaZulu-Natal during the latter third of the five year
period.
Aquaculture, which has a huge potential in the frost free areas of
North-East KwaZulu-Natal and some of the river catchments areas such as the
Tugela River basin are presently being investigated with Denmark and
Sweden.
Belarus, located in Eastern Europe, is yet another foreign country which has
indicated a desire to engage our Province with regard to markets for
agricultural products, as well as mechanisation.
Two major projects that are directly impacting on food security are the
Mushroom and Rice Projects which are carried out in partnership with the Fujian
Province of China. Since the start of the Mushroom and Dryland Rice Project in
July 2005, no less than 30 mushroom sites in the Province have been established
and already 70 000 substrates of mushrooms have been distributed from which no
less 52.5 tons of edible mushrooms have been harvested. This has so far
benefited over 2000 people. Up till now, a lot of research has also been done
and with the knowledge gained, an estimated one million substrates will be
distributed during the 06/07 financial year. It is estimated that around 750
tons of mushrooms will be harvested, benefiting up to 30 000 people.
Mr Speaker, and Honourable members of the House,
To repeat the Premierâs words, we have the agricultural potential, we have
the scientific know-how and we have a Government vision of an Agrarian
Revolution. What we need is increased investment in this sector and furthermore
we need committed and efficient users of the land.
Allow me to table the allocated Programme 2 budget: Agricultural Development
Services, and request the house to approve it as such:
2006/2007 BUDGET (R 000)
Programme 1
Administration
119,799
Programme 2
Agricultural Development Services
774 019
Total
893,818
In conclusion Mr Speaker,
I would like to take this opportunity to thank my Head of Department, Dr.
Jabulani Mjwara, for his tireless enthusiasm, leadership and commitment. I
would also like to thank all my office staff, Senior Management and all
employees for the contribution that they make on a daily basis to improve the
lives of our citizens. The support from my family is highly appreciated.
I will also be failing in my duty if I did not thank all the stakeholders in
agriculture.
Part b: environment and conservation
Programme 3: environmental management
Mr. Speaker
Environmental Management has seen a fair share of media controversy and the
largest focal point has been on the Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs). It
is a fact that many developers have identified EIAs as cumbersome and must be
therefore reformed without sacrificing environmental standards. Whilst
development is welcome and creating huge employment, we should not loose sight
of broad environmental issues.
Our Province is also beginning to feel the impact of our National
Governmentâs economic growth policies. A tangible manifestation is an increase
in development and realisation of the governmentâs priorities with regards to
reducing poverty and an increase in employment.
We as a department are already responding to this accelerated rate of
development. There are a number of initiatives within the department that will
contribute towards fast tracking development. However, this does not imply
compromising any of the legal requirements or mandates of this department or
any other organ of state.
By fast tracking development, demands the department to identify and then
overcome any stumbling blocks and in some instances this should be done through
co-operative governance. As part of this government, we have also identified
various measures within the department that we will have to address to
contribute towards this development. By this we will ensure the provision of
essential infrastructure, for example, water, sanitation and housing,
especially for the poor.
The interventions by this Department to meet the challenge of accelerated
development includes strengthening our interaction with other provincial
departments, like Economic Development, Housing, Traditional and Local
Government and Transport, and with municipalities and organisations like Trade
and Investment KwaZulu-Natal. Within the Department, we are re-engineering the
environmental management component which will address the issues of capacity
and the necessary skills. Part of this exercise will include expanding the
number of people that will be delegated to sign Records of Decision (RODs).
This intervention will help towards reducing the turn-around time in the
finalisation of RODs. Presently, I am also seriously considering the creation
of a broad-based Provincial Environmental Forum which will advice both me and
the Head of Department on environmental matters.
Mr. Speaker
The Department, while carrying out its core business, is also fully
committed to a strategic intervention, namely the Expanded Public Works
Programme (EPWP) which is designed to make a significant contribution to
reducing unemployment and providing livelihoods for the poor, women, youth and
people with disabilities.
As a Department we are fulfilling the three main objectives of the EPWP
through our various projects, namely, we are enhancing the ability of people to
earn an income, we are providing the unemployed with work experience and are
providing training. During the first three quarters of 2005/2006, we were able
to create 6,354 job opportunities, 2,446 of these opportunities were for women,
2,080 were for youth and 34 were for people with disabilities. Also the number
of person days of work created during the first three quarters was 384,411. We,
as a Department, hope to continue with this successful in the coming year. Some
of our activities that will contribute to this include the various agriculture
related projects, the Alien Invasive Species Programme, the Sustainable Coastal
Livelihoods Programme and the Working for Wetlands Programme.
Mr. Speaker
The promulgation of the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act
in 2004 and implemented on 11 September 2005 brought varied challenges to the
Province more especially the need for sustainable development and at the same
time ensuring that economic empowerment is not compromised. This we managed to
achieve albeit, under trying circumstances, fundamentally balancing the
critical need for social development including as well as ensuring an
environment that is free from pollution.
The department has established 6 ambient air monitoring stations at Mandeni,
Empangeni, Port Shepstone, Estcourt, Newcastle and Pietermaritzburg.
I had the privilege of launching the first station at Mandeni in July of
last year. The need for clean air is not by choice but an obligation.
We are also conducting capacity building training for officials in the
Department and Province on air quality management. Our participation in the
South Durban Basin Inter-governmental Co-ordinating meeting where we have
contributed R1.5 towards the Multi-Point Plan, Health Study is starting to bear
fruit.
The commemoration of Ozone Day in Merebank Community (South Durban), was a
function attended by the National Deputy Minister, Environmental Affairs and
Tourism. Officials of the Department presented papers on Climate Change and Air
Quality Management. A presentation outlining Departmental initiatives on air
quality management at various national and local Forums was also given.
As part of ongoing collaboration with our partners, we have been central in
facilitating the appointment of Air Pollution Control Officers at the
Municipalities in the KwaZulu-Natal Province.
Projects envisaged for the ensuing fiscal year are:
* Devise a Climate Change Mitigation Plan for the KwaZulu-Natal Province.
* Development of Air Quality Management Plan for this Province.
* Establish a database of Greenhouse Gas Emissions for the Province.
* Training for Municipalities on Air Quality Management- Second Phase.
* Establish Air Quality Fora for Community Participation
In conclusion, although we cannot completely eliminate pollution, we can reduce
and mitigate its consequences by realigning our strategies. For this we need
more resources.
Mr. Speaker
Allow me to table the allocated Programme 3 Budget: Environmental Management
and request the house to approve it as such:
2006/2007 BUDGET (R 000)
Programme 3
Environmental Services
116,588
Total
116,588
Programme 4: conservation
Mr. Speaker
Research on the value of ecosystem services in protected areas (uKhahlamba
Municipality) is in progress. This is a national initiative arising from
development of the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP). The
project for the interventions, these being: identification of users, values of
services provided to them, and management interventions for maintenance are
co-funded by the Development Bank of Southern Africa and the World Bank to the
tune of R 1.5 million.
Black Rhino expansion programme/ Rhino project in Emakhosini Ophathe
Heritage Park (Umkhanyakude and Zululand Municipalities) The Black Rhino Range
Expansion Project, is a partnership between Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife and
international conservation organisation WWF, has been hailed as one of the most
significant current black rhino conservation initiatives in Africa. It follows
on the successful history of Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife in bringing the Southern
white rhino back from the brink of extinction. The Black Rhino Range Expansion
Project is made possible through funding from World Wild Life Fund
(WWF-Netherlands), through WWF-South Africa, and is supported by the Mazda
Wildlife Fund.
The first founder population of 15 black rhino from Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife
with an estimated value of R7.5m were released in 2004 on to Munyawana Game
Reserve in northern KwaZulu-Natal and is doing well. Munyawana is made up of
four neighbouring properties which removed internal fences.
The second founder population of 21 black rhino with an estimated value of
R10,5m was released in 2005 on to the 24 000 hectare Zululand Rhino Reserve,
which is made up of 20 neighbouring properties whose owners removed their
internal fences in order to create a significant, barrier-free haven for
endangered species, including black rhino.
The third Site of the Project is expected to be the Emakhosini Ophathe
Heritage Park, a combined venture between Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife and Amafa
KwaZulu-Natal which aims to celebrate the cultural and natural history of the
Zulu nation and promote sustainable job creation and economic growth in the
Ulundi region. Through the Project, 46 kilometres of fencing around the Park
have been erected. These are currently being electrified to make the greater
Park ready to receive 11 black rhino estimated at a value of R5.5m later this
year.
If sufficient conservation, monitoring and security arrangements are in
place in time, the founder population will be released towards the end of 2006,
making the Park home to a significant black rhino population.
UKhahlamba Drakensberg Park Initiative (Maloti Drakensberg Transfrontier
Project (uThukela, uMgungundlovu and Sisonke Districts) is a 5 year World Bank
funded project (2003 â 2007) in collaboration with Lesotho, and the Free State
and Eastern Cape provinces with a $US 7.8 million grant and R16.9 million
co-financing from South Africa.
A process has been initiated to derive an exit strategy for this phase of
the project at the international level that will include the appointment of an
international co-ordinator who will be funded by both countries.
The possibility exits that the bioregion be declared as such through the
National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act and this avenue will be
explored as an outcome of the bioregional planning process.
The latter will also be introduced to the local municipalities who fall
within the bioregion in order to have the outcomes integrated into their
planning mechanisms.
Mr. Speaker
Biodiversity Conservation (all KZN municipalities) is a requirement of the
international Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the National
Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act (NEMBA) is the production of a
National Biodiversity Framework and Bioregional Biodiversity Conservation
Plans. To this end, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife has been developing a comprehensive
database and Geographic Information System on the biodiversity assets of the
whole of KZN, with an evaluation of their status and prioritised conservation
needs. This information will be used to produce a Systematic Biodiversity
Conservation Plan for KwaZulu-Natal. The project has been co-funded by the
Development Bank of Southern Africa and the KwaZulu-Natal Town and Regional
Planning Commission and has cost over R 1 million to date. Completion of data
acquisition, production and implementation of the Plan is likely to double this
cost.
The major intervention of this project will be the incorporation of the
Provincial Biodiversity Conservation Plan into the Local Government Integrated
Development Plans, a statutory requirement, and inclusion of biodiversity
conservation considerations into Land Use Management Systems (LUMS). The Plan
will also provide a focus for Ezemvelo KZN Wildlifeâs core business, the
conservation of the biodiversity of KwaZulu-Natal, and will assist in the
process of rational development for the benefit of all the citizens of the
province.
There are 4 Projects currently running at Zululand and uMkhanyakude
Municipality Districts. Total budget allocated from the National EPWP is R66,7m
for over 3 years. These programmes are starting at the beginning of 2006/2007
fiscal year for the amount of R10.4m. The projects are directed at the
Transfrontier Conservation Areas, the initiatives which are run in
collaboration with Mozambique and Swaziland. 218 jobs will be created as well
as capacity building for the incumbents.
The Sustainable Land Based Livelihood Programme has 3 projects that will run
for 3 years at Ugu and Uthukela municipalities within a budget allocation of
R77,7m. This initiative will create 582 jobs and capacity building will be
achieved in the process. The Ukhahlamba/Drakensberg Park Conservation &
Ecotourism Project will realise the completion of this current project. The
project has made significant contribution to the development of the TFCA (EPWP
Framework & Transfrontier Conservation Area Development) and has further
contributed to capacity & economic development of local people by achieving
its strategic objectives thus far.
Mr. Speaker
The Working for Tourism programme has as its flagship the Nselweni
Development. The Nselweni Bush Camp project is a joint initiative between EKZNW
(through the government's Expanded Public Works Programme) and the local
communities surrounding the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park. The project forms part of
the initial phase of a consolidated development initiative for the park and
surrounding community conservation areas. This initial step will see the
creation of a community company that will enter into a joint venture with EKZNW
for the operation of the camp. The project will create 79 temporary jobs or 19
242 job days and inject R 4 million into the area. Of this R 1 203 235 will be
spent on wages paid to local community members. R 3 m has also been allocated
by the Amakhosi through the community levy fund, bringing up the total
development value to R 7 m. Negotiations with the department of labour have
commenced to provide skills training to the initiative through the department's
skills development programme. The project has commenced with the planning phase
and is already in the advanced stages. The construction phase will be complete
by the end of the 2006 / 2007 fiscal year.
The second flagship project is Cathedral Peak Campsite Development
The project is a joint tourism venture between EKZNW and communities
surrounding Cathedral Peak Nature Reserve. The project aims to capacitate the
local community who will assist EKZNW in both the development and management of
the campsite facilities. The project was launched in February 2005, and is
valued at R6, 5 million and has made steady progress to date.
The project has employed a total of 123 people to participate in various
activities and as such has generated 33 463 job days. It will also contribute
by providing training and skills development to 85 local community people. A
budget of R2.1m has been allocated to community wages and an amount of R800 000
has been paid in wages to date. The construction phase of the project has also
got under way and the construction tender has been awarded to a local BEE
contractor.
Mr. Speaker
The last flagship project under the Working for Tourism Programme is the
Royal Natal National Park Development. The former hotel at Royal Natal National
Park is a historical landmark that was frequented by guests from all over the
world. The establishment became an international destination following the
visit by the British Royal Family in 1947. The facility unfortunately fell into
disrepair and was finally closed down in 1999.
Due to mounting criticism the Honourable Premier of KZN identified this as a
priority project for the Province and has given his full support for the
re-development of the hotel as a community empowerment initiative. EKZNW acting
on instruction from the Premier has therefore completed a feasibility study for
the redevelopment of the hotel which is estimated at R77 m, a large percentage
of this will be raised as grant funding, which will then serve as the
communitiesâ equity share.
It is envisaged that a 200-bed 3 star / 4 star hotel development will be
pursued which will involve the local community as a shareholder in the venture.
The management of the facilities will be conducted by a hotel operator who in
turn will be required to provide employment to local people. This development
will therefore take on a unique relationship of developing a partnership
between EKZNW (Government), the private sector and communities.
Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife runs a learnership programme. The total training
budget funded through external projects amounts to R3m which translate to 59
982 training days. Through the initiatives of Department of Labour and DEAT, it
is anticipated that approximately 100 learners will be selected.
EKZNW has set aside a further total budget of R1.5m for 5, 204 strategic
skills development interventions e.g. bursaries, ABET, Training courses
workshops/ conferences.
In addition to the above a further R630 000 has been budgeted for 18.1
learnerships (internal staff), 18.2 learnerships (unemployed and unqualified
outside people), interns (unemployed graduates), experiential learners
(currently studying) and skills programmes for external people (
unemployed)
Mr. Speaker
Allow me to table the allocated Programme 4: Conservation and request the
house to approve it as such:
2006/2007 BUDGET (R 000)
Programme 4
Conservation
288,500
Total
288,500
Mr. Speaker
In closing, I am convinced that we have what it takes to attain our vision,
goals and objectives as outlined. What is now required is an intensive rolling
mass action on the country side which must touch every square inch of the land
in the Province. It is not the time to hold back, amagwalâ awabuyelâ eceleni.
We cannot fail our people in this Age of Hope.
Amasango ezulu avulekile, phezu komkhono!
Issued by: Department of Agriculture and Environmental Affairs,
KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government
2 May 2006
