Deputy Minister’s speech at the Future of Sustainability Conference 2026 Indaba Hotel and Conference Centre, Fourways
Moderator;
The organiser -Topco Media;
UN Representative
Partners, Sustainability Leaders and Policymakers;
CEOs; Leaders of business and industry experts
Members of the media;
Distinguished guests;
Ladies and gentlemen;
Good morning.
Greetings to all present on this auspicious occasion of the opening of the Future of Sustainability Conference 2026. Allow me at the onset to express sincere appreciation for the invitation to deliver a keynote address at this Conference on, “Rebuilding Trust Through Coherent Environmental Governance”.
Ladies and gentlemen, the world is increasingly recognising that global challenges such as climate change, environmental degradation, unsustainable consumption and production practices and resource scarcity have a significant impact on economies, human health and well-being and can only be addressed collectively through international, national and local action.
The environmental sector is responsible for the implementation of 8 of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). About 70% of the SDGs are directly environmental in focus or cross-cutting in nature to address the sustainability of natural resources.
We are confronted by the reality of some SDGs have made remarkable progress over the last 11 years, while the remaining SDGs have had mixed and uneven progress that are either progressing too slowly or regressing.
There are challenges in implementing the SDG’s including financing for their implementation which South Africa has consistently called for, in partnership with the Global North, who have made commitments to financing for development which have not been met. There is a risk that development financing will be redirected to other priorities, placing countries like South Africa behind in their SDG implementation, and broader development targets.
Over the past five years (2020–2025), the global geopolitical landscape has undergone a profound transformation, shifting from a rules-based international order to a more fragmented, multipolar, and confrontational setting. Multilateralism is facing severe challenges posing impediments to global cooperation, with intensification of geo-political tensions and rivalries. These are the global emerging trends, challenges and reality.
So how do we restore and reinforce from a National, local context to circumvent these shocks, risks and emerging trends.
South Africa’s Constitution recognises that everyone has a right to an environment that is not harmful to human health and well-being, and to have the environment protected for the benefit of present and future generations. These rights find expression through the legislative framework the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA), and associated regulations that focus on specific subsectors of the environment.
This further resonates with South Africa’s National Development Plan (NDP) that is strongly aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals, while anchoring our national efforts to eradicate poverty, promote inclusive economic growth, and safeguard environmental sustainability.
Ladies and Gentlemen
As a country, we stand at a critical intersection in South Africa’s environmental journey. We are a nation blessed with unrivalled biodiversity, a vast coastline, and rich forestry resources. Yet, we are also a nation grappling with the urgent realities of climate change, addressing the triple challenges of poverty, inequality and unemployment, and the necessity of ensuring that our natural wealth benefits all our people not just a fortunate few.
Our success in protecting this rich natural heritage can only be measured by strengthened livelihoods, restored ecosystems, and trust built on strong environmental governance.
Allow me to highlight some examples showcasing how stronger institutional coordination, clearer accountability and improved policy implementation can positively influence environmental governance.
At the recent, People and Parks National Conference convened earlier this month, we brought together government, communities, conservation authorities, traditional leaders, the wildlife industry and civil society to advance a shared vision of inclusive conservation for sustainable development.
For twenty years, the People and Parks Programme has strengthened partnerships between conservation authorities and communities adjacent to protected areas. Communities are no longer viewed merely as beneficiaries of conservation; as protection of our national heritage cannot succeed without the meaningful participation of the people who live closest to it.
Through co-management arrangements and representation in decision-making structures, communities are active partners shaping the future of protected areas. The Biodiversity Economy initiative has ensured that the sustainable use of our wildlife and flora directly benefits the people. Hence our commitment to biodiversity conservation is being translated into action through ensuring that development does not come at the cost of our ecological integrity.
Furthermore, last week we hosted the Waste Khoro where we engaged with Strategic partners from various sectors of the society, such as private sector, civil society organisations, waste pickers, municipalities, provincial authorities, academia, Producers, Producer Responsibility Organisations.
These strategic partners have become drivers that influence policy development, including our Extended Producer Responsibility Regulations which are aimed at shifting accountability; supporting SMMEs and waste pickers to turn "trash into treasure" thus keeping our environments healthy.
Through increased industry participation we have increased investment in infrastructure for collection, sorting, and recycling of waste. These partnerships have driven job creation and local circular economy initiatives and support for Waste Pickers.
We must however acknowledge that challenges remain particularly in the integration of informal waste collectors, education and behaviour change, and the development of inclusive value chains that support both environmental and socioeconomic objectives.
In addition, we implement the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP), as a public employment intervention, that contributes towards addressing unemployment, poverty, and inequality. These environmental programmes integrate skills development and support the development of small, medium, and micro enterprises (SMMEs).
Ladies and Gentlemen
As we seek practical ways to address the global challenge of climate change, we must enhance our adaptation measures on our economy, particularly the industries, our households and society at large as well as on our environment. The Department has accelerated various instruments to ensure that we do everything we can to improve our country’s chances to withstand the impacts of climate change.
We recently hosted wide-ranging consultations with sector departments, provinces, and industry on draft Carbon Budget and Mitigation Plan regulations, laying the groundwork for how major emitters will be held accountable. These consultations are a pre-cursor to the publishing of the Sectoral Emission Targets (SETs) for public comment, which is a key step in translating the Climate Change Act into concrete sector commitments.
These measures are designed not only to reduce emissions, but to create opportunities for sustainable economic growth, green industrialization, and job creation, ensuring that no South African is left behind in the transition to a low-carbon economy.
As part of the implementation of the Climate Change Act, which brings together government, industry, civil society, and communities, to guide a just and equitable transition. The department has trained district municipalities on mainstreaming climate adaptation into planning instruments, while further advancing the development of adaptation scenarios to help protect vulnerable communities from the impacts of extreme weather.
The Department is in the process of developing the adaptation scenarios to form the basis for adaptation planning in the country. We have enhanced our coordination mechanism with the establishment of the intergovernmental working group on climate change, technical working group that brings the adaptation stakeholders together and Presidential Climate Change to provide advice on the just transition.
South Africa advocates for decoupling of environmental growth from resource use by developing policies, programmes and approaches that aligns with science. For South Africa and Africa, industrialisation is not a choice, it is essential to our development path.
The question is how to do it differently. Industrial decarbonisation is more than cutting emissions, it is about creating jobs, building competitive industries in steel, cement, fertilisers, and chemicals, and placing African economies in the global value chains of the future.
As part of our Just Energy Transition, South Africa is piloting green hydrogen and low-carbon steel with the support of development finance institutions and private investors. As recently noted by the Electricity and Energy Minister, factors such as exchange rate risks, fees and other non-price conditions have added a layer of complexity to South Africa’s just energy transition partnership (JETP) funding efforts.
Our experience shows that success depends on policy reform, targeted concessional finance, and strong partnerships. Thus Public–Private Partnerships (PPPs) are increasingly important, as the private sector has demonstrated that collaboration anchored in social responsibility can drive investment and create jobs.
Notably, sound environmental governance will require modernisation of our regulatory frameworks to ensure that our systems are transparent, efficient, and responsive to people, planet and prosperity objectives.
The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, working in collaboration with the Department of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, provincial Environmental Affairs departments and other relevant sector stakeholders, has launched a national multi-sector stakeholder consultation process on the proposed reforms to South Africa’s Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) system.
These proposed reforms aim to strengthen the ongoing sector-led initiative to improve the efficacy of the EIA process, allowing flexibility to apply other instruments, modernise and strengthen the country’s environmental governance framework, towards the sustainable development.
Further on the policy and regulatory front, the Department is reforming environmental policies and laws to remove bottlenecks and ensure that their integration and alignment. In this regard, the Department is processing about 10 Bills for consideration and adoption by Cabinet and Parliament during the 7th administration.
In this current financial year (April 2025 to March 2026), the Department processed about 69 subordinate instruments. These subordinate instruments were developed, reviewed and amended to ensure that the primary legislation is implementable. These subordinate instruments include, amongst others,
- The implementation of the E-Waste Policy in August 2025;
- The implementation of the Strategy to Reduce Food Loses in August 2025; and
- Finalisation of the Regulations for the Exploration and Production of Onshore Petroleum Resources Requiring Fracturing Technology and the associated Minimum Information Requirements.
These reforms will create a more agile, modernised governance structure one that protects our environment while facilitating the infrastructure and investment our economy.
Distinguished Guests
Strong institutions, both public and private, are critical for ensuring that all people live in peaceful, just and inclusive societies. Our primary focus should be anchored towards driving stronger coordination between institutions and public-private partnerships to ensure environmental policy alignment, necessary for addressing environmental sustainability and governance.
The forging and strengthening relationships and innovative partnerships between government, private sector and civil society can potentially address challenges such as data availability, regulatory frameworks and education, thereby fully unlocking the potential of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) framework and sustainability investing in South Africa.
Thus, we recognize the huge opportunity such partnerships present, serving as a catalyst for sustainable development, especially if we can strengthen capacity to engage in and lead such efforts.
Ladies and Gentlemen
We have unprecedented opportunity to reset on a pathway towards a more equitable, environmentally sustainable and low-carbon trajectory.
A collaborative and comprehensive approach to maintaining the integrity of our natural assets and ecological infrastructure will play a fundamental role in achieving various social and economic development imperatives. This requires multistakeholder coordination, secured livelihoods for our people and a nation that is united in its purpose.
By affording me the opportunity today, to elaborate on the strengths of our environmental governance systems; I am certain this has restored public trust and our country’s commitment to a resilient, sustainable environment for generations to come.
Thank you for your attention.
Enquiries:
Zolile Nqayi
Cell: 082 898 6483
E-mail: znqayi@dffe.go.za
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