“DEDEAT continues to encourage farmers and businesses to follow regulated processes when conducting activities with environmental impact,” says Jonas.
The Green Scorpions have issued more than 15 compliance notices to Cacadu farmers since 2010 for various contraventions of the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA).
The compliance notices were issued to avert the ongoing unauthorised clearing of sub-tropical thicket and threatened vegetation by the agricultural sector and this remains a major concern to the Department of Economic Development, Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEDEAT) as it affects environmental sustainability.
In 2013, nine (9) farmers in the Baviaanskloof area are being investigated for contraventions in terms of NEMA and face potential fines of R5 million each.
The fines issued between the years 2010 and 2012 range from various contraventions which include:
- 2012 - four (4) farmers paid a total of R280 000 for clearing thicket for new lands on their farms, mostly in the Addo area
- 2011 - two (2) farmers paid R354 000 in administrative fines for clearing vegetation and building roads, dwellings and a dam on their properties without authorisation from DEDEAT;
- 2010 – one (1) farmer in the Addo area was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment suspended for 5 years on condition that he appoint an ecologist to develop a rehabilitation plan and at his expense rehabilitate the veld where he cleared without authorisation;
- 2010 – three (3) Cacadu farmers paid a total of R536 000 for clearing vegetation for lands and road construction on their properties without the necessary authorisations from DEDEAT.
In addition to the fines for conducting unauthorised practices, the farmers were further compelled to appoint environmental consultants to prepare environmental management plans and in some cases undertake rehabilitation studies to rectify environmental degradation.
“The DEDEAT continues to encourage farmers and businesses to conform to the regulated processes when conducting activities with environmental impact. This will help in restoring the integrity of the environment and also avoid unnecessary costs resulting from commencement with listed activities without approval in terms of the environmental legislation. Some of these activities could have been authorised if the legislated processes were followed,” says DEDEAT MEC Mcebisi Jonas.
“As part of the continuous measures to engage and educate all sectors, the DEDEAT has met with farming communities and AGRI-EC to highlight the problems and to create awareness about the correct procedures for applying to clear virgin land on the farms,” adds Jonas.
Farmers are urged to contact the Regional Manager of Environmental Affairs at the DEDEAT Regional Office in Port Elizabeth on 041 508 5800 for further information or assistance.
Contact:
Sixolile Makaula, Communications Manager
Cell: 072 751 5001
Tel: 043 605 7117
Email: sixolile.makaula@deaet.ecape.gov.za
