M van Schalkwyk on strategy for inland 4X4 recreational driving

16 March 2009

A strategy for responsible 4x4’ing in sensitive areas

In 2005, the Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, Mr Marthinus van
Schalkwyk, indicated that “owners and users of inland 4x4 recreational driving
tracks should move more rapidly towards better regulated and more equitable
practices.” This was as a result of some irresponsible 4x4 vehicle and track
owners whose activities continue to damage sensitive sections of South Africa’s
inland environment.

The Minister warned at the time that “regulations will be required and if
there are not concrete proposals forthcoming from the industry, government will
have to issue these unilaterally, although this would not be our first
choice.”

The Minister today met with representatives of the 4x4 industry, who have
amongst themselves have formed the National Off-Road Working group (NOW). They
handed over the strategy that they had prepared to address 4x4 activities in
sensitive areas. This strategy was developed in close collaboration between
role-players in the 4x4 industry, the Department of Environmental Affairs and
Tourism and provincial environmental departments.

This process was kick started when the 4x4 industry held a national workshop
in the Southern Cape in October 2005. At this workshop and in subsequent
meetings, it was agreed that a mechanism and legal framework that would
prohibit recreational off road driving in sensitive areas, except on a
registered trail by a licensed driver in a permitted vehicle, is required. The
strategy sets out the actions needed to be completed by various role-players
over the next five years in order to accomplish the targets set at the Southern
Cape conference.

These include:
* driver and rider competency
* identification of sensitive areas
* tourism development
* trails and tracks
* off-road guiding, as well as attention to
* transformation, community involvement and upliftment.

Each of these areas is addressed in detail in the strategy with specific
reference to priorities, timeframes, allocation of responsibilities,
monitoring, incentives, sanctions and funding. The strategy proposes a process
of self regulation within a statutory / regulatory environment. This means that
the existing regulatory framework is used, possibly expanded and/or
rationalised, and government then devolves certain legal compliance and other
responsibilities (e.g. track environmental registration, grading, policing of
activities etc.) to such a body. The strategy does not propose new laws but
rather encourages operation within current legislation, with amendments when
necessary.

The strategy would be applicable to the inland recreational use of off-road
vehicles including two wheel, three wheel and four wheel vehicles, which
includes 2x4 and 4x4 motor vehicles, quad bikes and motorbikes (e.g. trail
bikes, off-road bikes and on and off road bikes).

DEAT was responsible for the identification of sensitive areas where this
strategy will be implemented. This process has been completed and public
consultation will take place soon. The objective is that off-road users and
owners will be in a position to identify sensitive areas and to act and develop
such routes responsibly in those areas. One of the big challenges that this
poses will be to ensure that trail and track owners grant access to such
facilities only to competent and responsible users.

Trails and tracks should have the necessary mechanisms in place to ensure
that all vehicles, persons and activities in such areas adhere to responsible
practices. Drivers and riders will be required to obtain competency
certificates, although it is not the intention that this should be either
costly or time consuming to obtain. Unqualified and unregistered off-road
guides will have to be trained and capacitated.

The strategy foresees the establishment of a representative body that will
fulfil both a representative and regulatory function. The regulatory function
will be focussed on the implementation of the self regulation strategy, while
the representative function will be focussed on the interests of the off-road
sector and will also be responsible for information dissemination.

NOW invited the general public to participate in the development of this
strategy by featuring information in a wide range of printed media as well as
hosting three stakeholder workshops in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town.

Activities will be phased in over a five years period, based on the priority
of the activity concerned. Each of the seven NOW member organisations will be
responsible for implementation of the strategy. DEAT will remain involved in
this process as part of the regulatory function, especially since the
identification of sensitive areas is the responsibility of the department.

According to Minister van Schalkwyk “the seven organisations comprising NOW
must be congratulated for heeding the call and for investing substantial effort
and time into the development of this product.”

“It is hoped that the implementation of this initiative will be as
successful as the process to date, and that our neighbouring countries will be
able to learn from this example when it comes to the prevention of damage
caused by off-road vehicles to sensitive areas in their countries,” the
Minister said.

Enquiries:
Sanet Krugel
Cell: 082 378 2217

Issued by: Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism
16 March 2009
Source: Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (http://www.deat.gov.za)