Environmental Assessment Practitioners Association of South Africa (EAPASA) launches online registration process for environmental assessment practitioners in Durban
The Chairperson and Board of the Environmental Assessment Practitioners Association of South Africa (EAPASA) are pleased to announce the launch of Online Registration for Environmental Assessment Practitioners (EAPs) in South Africa.
The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process is a crucial mechanism used to regulate the impact of development activities. Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) as well as Provincial Environmental departments are responsible for EIA processes and ensuring the timely and accurate execution of EIA’s. Environmental Impact Assessment has been compulsory in South Africa since 1997.
On 03 July 2006, the new EIA regulations, in terms of National Environmental Management Act (NEMA) came into effect. The regulations sought to streamline the process while addressing concerns raised by stakeholders over timeframes, duplication and inter-governmental cooperation.
“The launch of the Online Registration Process for the Environmental Assessment Practitioners is a historic moment that marks the formalisation of a vigorous and growing environmental profession. Since the emergence of environmental assessment (EA) as a distinct discipline in the 1970s, South Africans have earned praise internationally for making significant contributions to EA theory and practice. South Africa is about to embark on an initiative that is - on the available evidence - the first legally-based compulsory EAP Register in the world”, said Chairperson of the EAPASA Snowy Makhudu.
“EAPs will have access to an online registration system for entering their qualifications and work experience to prove competence for registration, at www.eapasa.org
The legal standard against which registrations are assessed - the qualification standard for Environmental Assessment Practice - was re-registered by the Board of the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) on 25 October 2018. This has made it possible for EAPASA to begin fulfilling its legal responsibility as the single Registration Authority for EAPs in South Africa,” added Makhudu.
EAPASA was appointed on 8 February 2018 by the then Minister of Environmental Affairs, the Honourable Dr Edna Molewa. Given the Minister’s untimely passing on 22 September 2018, it is with deep regret that EAPASA will not be able to celebrate the launch with her.
The imminent and enduring registration of EAPs will be one of her many legacies. EAPASA is sincerely grateful to the Deputy Minister of Environmental Affairs, the Honourable Barbara Thomson, and Director-General Ms Nosipho Ngcaba for their ongoing support, and looks forward to working with the new Minister, the Honourable Ms Nomvula Mokonyane.
The objectives of EAPASA include amongst others, to assure the public, authorities and developers that practitioners are competent and ethical; to promote the progressive transformation and restructuring of the profession such that it is representative of the demographics of the country, focusing specifically on support for candidate black people, women, youth and people with disabilities as well as to promote general awareness of the purpose and practice of environmental assessment in South Africa.
The Board of EAPASA is proud to be the custodian of the first compulsory Register of Environmental Assessment Practitioners in South Africa and the world. Once EAPASA has registered EAPs, their details will be contained in the EAP Register which will be hosted on the EAPASA website.
Detailed information regarding the Association can be accessed at www.eapasa.org and by email sent to registrar@eapasa.org
Media enquiries:
Albi Modise
Cell: 083 490 2871
Snowy Makhudu
Cell: 083 640 8070
