Chairperson.
Honourable members.
Colleagues,
We gather today not merely to account for past actions, but to renew a promise- a promise that under this Government of National Unity (GNU), environmental transformation will be urgent, inclusive, and persistent. This past year has reinforced my belief that meaningful progress in environmental management requires 3 (three) key elements: strong leadership, robust partnerships, and unwavering enforcement.
Over the past year, our department has strengthened marine protection, expanded conservation territories, and deepened community partnerships. These advances reflect not just administrative progress- but a commitment to inclusive, climate-resilient development.
1. Environmental Programmes
In executing its mandate, the Environmental Programmes Branch created in the 2024/2025 financial year:
- 70,366 (seventy thousand, three hundred and sixty-six) work opportunities under the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP)- which then translated to 32,143 (thirty-two thousand, one hundred and forty-three) full-time equivalents (FTE's).
- 58 (fifty-eight) wetlands rehabilitated- directly improving water access.
- Over 496,000 (four hundred and ninety-six thousand) hectares of invasive alien plants were cleared- enhancing both biodiversity and water security.
- 1,777 (one thousand, seven hundred and seventy-seven) wildfires were suppressed with a 100% success rate by the Working on Fire programme, thereby protecting critical infrastructure.
Over the MTEF (2025 – 2028), the department has been allocated R9 billion (nine billion rand) to its Programme 6- accounting for nearly 32% (thirty-two percent) of the overall Departmental Budget. In the 2025/26 financial year, the Department has committed R2.869 billion (two billion, eight hundred and sixty-nine million rand) towards various Environmental Programmes, such as Working for Water, Working for Waste, Working for Fire, Working for the Coast and Furntech- targeting the creation of nearly 70,000 (seventy thousand) direct work opportunities across the country.
This also includes:
- 326,081 (three hundred and twenty-six thousand and eighty-one) hectares of invasive alien species to be cleared,
- 28 (twenty-eight) wetlands to be rehabilitated, and
- A 90% (ninety percent) wildfire suppression rate- reinforcing our climate resilience capacity.
Honourable members, special emphasis is being placed on young people. To this end, the department is implementing, under the EPWP Programme:
- A 'provincial' Youth Graduate 'Training' Programme: benefiting 4,000 (four thousand) graduates with a R100 million (One Hundred Million Rand) investment across all 9 (nine) provinces, and;
- A dedicated Municipal Graduate Programme: benefiting 430 (four hundred and thirty) graduates at a cost of R47.5 million (forty-seven million, five hundred thousand rand)- spanning local government placements in environmental roles for 24 months.
By transitioning to an in-house delivery model, we are ending dependency on intermediaries and ensuring that every Rand reaches our people. This move will save the department millions annually while increasing oversight, accountability, and community impact.
This is how we build a green economy that delivers both jobs and accountability!
2. Compliance and enforcement
Environmental compliance is non-negotiable. Currently, 3,404 (three thousand, four hundred and four) Environmental Management Inspectors (EMIs) are designated across national, provincial, and local environmental and conservation authorities.
Over the past five financial years, the department, through its EMIs, has issued numerous administrative notices to municipalities across the country in response to serious environmental violations, particularly the illegal discharge of untreated or partially treated sewage into rivers, estuaries, and coastal waters. These actions have been documented across provinces, with a notable concentration in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape, and the Western Cape.
While administrative enforcement tools, such as compliance notice, and coastal protection notices, have been actively employed, their impact has been limited in many instances. The persistent non-compliance by several municipalities remains a serious concern. The total number of enforcement actions, coupled with repeated contraventions at the same facilities, reflects systemic weaknesses at the local government level in meeting environmental compliance obligations.
Challenges identified:
- Repeat offending by local authorities
- Failure to implement corrective measures
- Increasing complaints and criminal referrals
Honourable members,
In light of these persistent failures, the department is adopting a more aggressive, coordinated and strategic enforcement posture, enough is enough:
- Escalation to criminal prosecution: municipalities that defy administrative orders will be held criminally liable.
- Strategic partnerships with SAPS and NPA
- Administrative Penalties Bill: Soon to be tabled in Cabinet, this bill will introduce a more efficient enforcement mechanism, ensuring that environmental violations are met with swift and proportionate consequences.
Honourable members, we have taken note of the recommendations from the Portfolio Committees' report of the meeting held on 24 June 2025:
Over the past five years, during the 6th administration of government, the EMIs have progressively developed a specialised investigative capability to tackle environmental crimes, culminating in the submission of 1,902 (one thousand and two) completed criminal dockets to the NPA for decision. This steady increase of cases reflects the increasing maturity of South Africa's environmental enforcement framework. However, the outcomes of these referrals point to a complex prosecutorial landscape: only 45.53% (forty five point fifty three percent) of the dockets resulted in decisions to prosecute, with annual prosecution rates ranging from as low as 21% (twenty one percent) in 2020/21 to as high as 60% (sixty percent) in 2022/23.
Notwithstanding these fluctuations, the overall trend demonstrates a growing confidence in the quality of investigative work led by EMIs. This is affirmed by several prominent convictions recorded in the 2022/23 period. In the biodiversity sector, the State vs Leonard Ramatladi & Two Others case resulted in the conviction of three individuals for the illegal possession of 19 (nineteen) pangolin skins. The accused were sentenced to 10 (ten) years' direct imprisonment, one of the harshest sentences handed down for an environmental crime of this nature.
In the oceans and coast sector, the State vs Victor Nsibande matter led to a 10 (ten) year prison term following his conviction for the illegal possession and dealing in abalone, reflecting the seriousness with which marine species crimes are now treated by the courts.
In the pollution and waste sector, EnviroServ Waste Management (Pty) Ltd was convicted in 2021 for contraventions at its Shongweni landfill site and was issued a fine of R10 million (ten million rand), one of the most substantial penalties imposed in a pollution-related case to date. These outcomes not only affirm prosecutorial confidence in EMI-led investigations but also reinforce the need for continued investment in enforcement capacity to address the complex and nature of environmental crime in the Republic.
3. The UPL spill
The UPL South Africa chemical spill remains one of the most complex environmental crises we have faced. When I became involved in September 2024, I found authorities entangled in overlapping mandates and delayed action- bogged down by excessive authorisation requirements that stalled urgent rehabilitation. Our current legal framework is not designed for rapid emergency response. Instead of enabling action, it traps officials in red tape- something we must fundamentally change.
My intervention helped unlock progress. We issued a Water Use Licence, and UPL resumed site rehabilitation under strict oversight. We also ensured that concerns from eThekwini Metro were addressed in the regulatory conditions- though it's worth noting their own sewage discharges worsened pollution in the same area.
Recent heavy rains caused the Pollution Control Dam to overtop, but thanks to collaboration with the Department of Water and Sanitation, this is now being managed. To improve coordination, the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs is facilitating engagement with the Multi-Stakeholder Forum, keeping affected communities at the centre of the response. The Portfolio Committee's oversight visit on 26 February 2025 highlighted valid concerns about delays and lasting community impacts- further underscoring the need for regulatory reform.
Despite challenges, progress is evident: pesticide levels are dropping, ecosystems are recovering, and on-site work continues. Our priority now is to sustain this momentum- and use this crisis as a turning point to reform our regulatory system, making it faster, more coordinated, and fit for future emergencies.
4. Aquaculture
The aquaculture sector holds immense potential for economic growth, food security, and employment creation, particularly in underdeveloped and rural areas. As global and African demand for aquatic foods rises, South Africa is positioning itself to become a regional leader in this fast-growing industry.
To support this vision, the department has undertaken a series of strategic environmental assessments to identify optimal sites for aquaculture development. This includes inland water bodies managed by the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS), such as: Vanderkloof Dam, Nandoni Dam and Sterkfontein Dam.
However, unlocking this potential requires appropriate legislation- to this end, the department will present a dedicated aquaculture legislation to Cabinet in the 2025/26 financial year. With a new Aquaculture Intergovernmental Forum, we are improving coordination and ensuring local economic empowerment becomes real.
5. Human-wildlife conflict
Human-wildlife conflict, particularly with elephants, is an escalating issue in South Africa. As elephant ranges shrink and climate change reduces key resources, these animals increasingly move into human settlements in search of food and water - bringing them into direct conflict with communities.
At the same time, population growth, urban expansion, and rural development are encroaching on wildlife habitats. The result is a dangerous overlap that threatens both human safety and conservation goals.
Recent incidents in Mawana (KZN), Madikwe (North-West), and Matsulu (Mpumalanga) illustrate the growing risk- ranging from crop destruction and infrastructure damage to injuries and loss of life. For many rural communities, these impacts are devastating to livelihoods.
Yet, elephants play a critical ecological role as ecosystem engineers, and their long-term survival remains vital to biodiversity and environmental balance.
To address this complex issue, the department will convene a high-level Elephant Indaba- bringing together traditional leaders, local communities, conservation experts, private sector stakeholders, academia, and all levels of government. The aim is to shape a unified national response rooted in science, lived experience, and constitutional principles of environmental justice.
This is more than a discussion- it is a demonstration of leadership and political will to achieve sustainable coexistence between people and wildlife- with the priority always being the protection of human life and their infrastructure.
Chairperson, as I conclude- in parallel to these efforts, SANParks has expanded protected areas by 23,826 (twenty-three thousand, eight hundred and twenty-six) hectares over the past five years.
Key milestones include the successful UNESCO nominations of Mapungubwe and Kgalakgadi/‡Khomani San cultural landscapes, as well as national heritage status for the Kramats in Table Mountain National Park and Thulamela in Kruger. Efforts to extend the iSimangaliso Wetland Park into Mozambique are also underway, with implementation scheduled for completion by June 2025.
Additionally, 297 (two hundred and ninety-seven) work opportunities were created through the Green and Open Space Management Programme in national botanical and zoological gardens during the 2024/25 financial year.
Honourable members,
Our mission is clear:
To build a green economy, one that works for all. To protect biodiversity and promote jobs and to enforce law.
To Minister George, my colleague Deputy Minister Swarts, and the entire DFFE team, I extend my deepest gratitude for your diligence and cooperation over this past year. To the Director-General, Ms. Nomfundo Tshabalala, and the leadership of our entities, your dedication is the backbone of our progress.
Honourable members, we will continue to work tirelessly-not just as a government, but as a nation - to ensure that our natural heritage endures for generations to come.
Together, we ARE the generation that rewrites the future.
I thank you
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