the Budget Vote on Environmental Affairs and Tourism, National Assembly
5 June 2007
Madam Speaker
Honourable Ministers and Deputy Ministers
Members of Parliament and Provincial Legislatures
Honourable MECs
Directors-General
Distinguished guests
Ladies and gentlemen
1. Introduction
Environmental rights have long been recognized as a fundamental component of
human rights. The Stockholm Declaration of the United Nations (UN) Conference
on the Human Environment in 1972 resolved that, "Both aspects of man's
environment, the natural and man made are essential to his well-being and to
the enjoyment of basic human rights, even the right to life itself."
However, this has not been the case in South Africa because it was only
after the dawn of democracy in 1994 that the right to a clean and healthy
environment was recognised in Section 24 of our Constitution. The reality is
that we have inherited huge backlogs in terms of addressing environmental
issues facing our nation and redressing the negative impacts of the
environmental injustice of the past.
Our challenges in addressing backlogs range from air pollution, waste and
chemicals management to transformation of the biodiversity and conservation
sector to ensure our people regain their rightful status as the custodians of
the environment. In addressing these challenges we have to create opportunities
for socio-economic empowerment to push back the frontiers of poverty and ensure
a better life for all.
2. Air quality management
According to the World Health Organisation's (WHO) assessment of the burden
of disease due to air pollution, more than two million cases of premature death
each year can be attributed to the effects of air pollution. More than half of
this disease burden is borne by the populations of developing countries.
Madam Speaker, I am therefore proud to report that our Department has made
significant strides in addressing air pollution problems facing our nation. In
addition to the Durban Multipoint Plan for Air Quality Management, we have
declared the Vaal Triangle Air-shed as priority area requiring urgent
interventions by government and all stakeholders. We have already established
an air quality monitoring system in the area and six air quality monitoring
stations have been procured and installed to generate data. In addition we have
gazetted our intention to declare the Highveld as the second national priority
area in the near future.
As part of the implementation process of the New Air Quality Act, we are
currently reviewing registration certificates issued in terms of the
Atmospheric Pollution Prevention Act of 1965. To this effect, we have
prioritised the key sectors whose permits require review and we are in
consultations with them on the reviews. These sectors include Petrochemical
(seven operations), primary steel manufacture (nine operations), primary
aluminium production (two operations), Ferro-alloy industries specifically
chromium, vanadium and manganese (ferro-silicon) production (27 to 30
operations), Pulp and paper industries (nine operations), Coal-fired power
stations (national grid) (20 operations).
3. Waste management
From a health and service delivery perspective waste management remains a
severe challenge in our country. This challenge has been exacerbated by lack of
legislative powers for us to enforce compliance with internationally acceptable
practices of managing waste.
In order to provide the required legal framework, our Department has
published a Waste Management Bill for public comment and has concluded an
extensive nation wide consultation with stakeholders and the public. As a
result of this public consultation a National Waste Management Conference was
held this year in partnership with the Department of Provincial and Local
Government as a platform for robust engagements on the provisions of the draft
Waste Management Bill.
Participants from municipalities, NGOs, private sector, business
enterprises, local communities and academic institutions all expressed their
views on the Bill. The Bill drives a waste minimisation approach that stresses
the need for us as a country to reduce, recover, reuse and recycle our waste.
It is a sad fact that poor waste management practices results in South Africans
literally throwing away the hundreds of millions of rands that are spent on
waste disposal systems and which could rather be turned into a renewed source
of income through the above measures.
Alongside the legislative process we are in the process of engaging in
discussions with the private sector, municipalities and other government
departments for turning waste into wealth through projects for the reduction,
reuse and recycling of waste. Such projects would form the basis for our second
economy interventions in poor communities. I would like to take this
opportunity to recognise the pioneering work done by the recycling industry in
relation to initiatives that make it increasingly easy for our people to ensure
that their waste is not just thrown away.
4. Chemicals management
During the previous Budget Vote we announced that the World Bank has
provided us with funding for the disposal of obsolete pesticides as part of the
African Stockpile Program. We have begun to implement this program throughout
the country. Further work on training workers to handle chemicals will be
undertaken this year.
A pilot project for the collection of all obsolete pesticides possessed by
farmers in Limpopo Province has begun. This pilot project will serve as a
benchmark for the roll out of projects in other provinces.
5. Provision of weather service
Over the years, the South African Weather Service (SAWS) has earned
credibility as a provider of reliable data on weather and climatic patterns.
The most important achievement has been its ability to issue warnings of
impending disasters to the public, business and government.
For an example, SAWS accurately and well in advance predicted the onset and
severity of the bitterly cold weather that swept through the country last
month.
To further enhance our effectiveness and efficiency in the next few years,
we will be making further investments on the modernisation our services through
recapitalisation and expansion of our observations networks and infrastructure.
This will enable us to establish more radar networks to assist with weather
forecasts in rural areas that are most prone and vulnerable to natural
disasters.
6. People and parks
You will recall that the repealed Group Areas Act legalised the forceful
removals of rural communities from productive lands to dry lands to pave way
for the creation of protected areas. Our Department is faced with a mammoth
task of restoring ownership of natural resources to communities living adjacent
to these protected areas.
In pursuit of some of the resolutions taken at our secondnd People and Parks
Conference last year, we have established a National Steering Committee
representing various stakeholders in our nine provinces. We are now busy
mobilising communities and conservation agencies to prepare for the third
conference which will be held later this year in order to develop a
comprehensive program of action.
Mindful of the delays in settling land claims in protected areas, we have
signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with the Department of Land Affairs
which would outline roles and responsibilities for all stakeholders involved in
the process of settling land claims within our protected areas. We will be
developing a People and Parks Charter that will outline national guidelines for
the co-management of natural resources by park authorities and communities. For
communities to participate meaningfully in co-management, substantial funding
will be required for training and capacity building purposes.
Following our successful initiatives to mark 2006 as the International Year
for Deserts and Desertification, we will continue to launch land rehabilitation
projects in remote and rural areas of our country.
7. Protection of the marine environment
South Africa, as the Vice-Chair for both the Abidjan and Nairobi Conventions
for the Protection, Management and Development of Marine and Coastal
Environment, has accepted United Nation's Environment Programme (UNEPs) request
for us to host a joint meeting for these conventions early September this
year.
The ultimate goal of this joint meeting is to develop a long term vision for
coastal and marine management in sub-Saharan Africa and promote programs that
strengthen the implementation of these conventions. One of the key programs in
this regard is the West Indian Ocean Land-based activities program (WIOLab)
which we will continue to implement in our coastal areas in order to combat
pollution from land based activities.
In order to meet the requirements of these conventions and implement
relevant programs, our Department will need to beef up its capacity for
research, science technology in all aspects of marine and coastal management
including aquaculture. We have responded to this challenge by introducing an
Accelerated Development Program for marine scientists. This program will also
present an opportunity for us to accelerate transformation within our marine
and coastal management branch through the implementation of a training,
development and retention program targeted at young, up and coming black
scientists.
8. Tourism development
Our tourism development program for this year will explore further
possibilities for tourism growth in preparation for the 2010 FIFA World Cup and
beyond. Most of our efforts in this area will be dedicated towards training
local communities so that they are able to develop and benefit from community
based initiatives on ecotourism, religious tourism and cultural tourism.
There are several historical sites which we will be considering for
development as tourism destinations being part of our medium to long term
plans. For example, we have a real opportunity to turn the Great Trek that took
place between 1834 and 1845 in Southern Africa into a tourism route centred on
intercultural relations associated with it. In this respect we would celebrate
many events, monuments and memorials along the Great Trek routes. This would
also facilitate reconciliation and unity amongst people from diverse cultural
backgrounds in our country while providing us with further opportunities to
create jobs and grow the economy.
At the International Conference on Peace through Tourism held in Kampala,
Uganda this year, African Ministers have agreed to turn the slave trade routes
into tourism destinations as part of revival of the African Diaspora
initiative. Further plans on this initiative will be unveiled at our Third
International African Diaspora Heritage Trail Conference to be held in the
Bahamas in October this year.
9. Social Responsibility Program
Our Social Responsibility Program has maintained and surpassed its excellent
record of implementing community projects. It is on record that we have spent
hundreds of millions of rands to fund community projects over the past few
years. We currently have 308 active projects nationwide. We have so far created
about 13 000 jobs out of which 459 are permanent.
Our plan for the funding cycle under consideration is to increase the scope
of our projects with a target to create 13 000 jobs out of which 450 will be
permanent. More resources will be required to respond to requests for
beneficiary funding, training in management, marketing skills and business
coaching at all stages of our projects.
10. Youth and women empowerment
As we debate our national budget, our programs may not be able to meet the
aspirations and needs of women and youth if we do not adopt a budget that will
be sufficient to meet these needs.
It is in this context that we will be responding to the Deputy President's
call for the massification of the National Youth Service (NYS) Program within
the environment and tourism sectors. We will launch the NYS program in
environment and tourism later this year as a vehicle for young people to
contribute to service delivery, nation building and social cohesion whilst
acquiring skills to enhance their employability within our sectors.
Our NYS program will be funded to the tune of R25 million for the enrolment
of 500 young people across the country. This program will be part and parcel of
our social responsibility program which has already contributed to the
employment of at least 1 000 young people throughout the country.
From a women empowerment perspective, we will spend this year strengthening
our stakeholders' capability to implement the resolutions taken during our
previous conferences on women and environment. We also ensure that every branch
of our Department facilitates active participation of women during the
implementation of its programs. All these measures will take us forward in
terms implementing the objectives of the Global Forum for Women Ministers of
Environment for which we are the chair.
10. Education and awareness raisin
In partnership with civil society, non-governmental organisations (NGOs),
community-based organisations (CBOs) and private sector we will be implementing
comprehensive interventions to sensitise our communities and industries on
responsible environmental management practices.
In this regard I am happy to inform the House that we have now launched
South Africa's national environment campaign, Indalo Yethu. Meaning our
environment, our place and our future, Indalo Yethu, which is a legacy project
of World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD), was activated a few weeks
ago at the Cradle of Humankind in Mogale City.
Through Indalo Yethu we have now issued a call to action for all of us to
start doing our bit in promoting as well as living environmentally responsible
lifestyles. An endorsement system will be introduced later this year to
recognise those institutions that will be embracing what I want to refer to as
greening or eco-friendly practices.
11. Conclusion
As our economy continues to grow in leaps and bounds, we have a profound
responsibility to ensure that the pursuit for material prosperity does not
compromise our ability to halt the ever-increasing unsustainable patterns of
production and consumption. This is the only way through which our future
generations may inherit a legacy of sustainable development practices which
they could also pass onto many generations to come.
Thank you!
Issued by: Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism
5 June 2007
Source: Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (http://www.deat.gov.za)
