Nominations invited for the high level panel to review policies, legislation and practices relating to matters of elephant, lion, leopard and rhinoceros handling, management, breeding, hunting and trade
The Minister of Environmental Affairs, Mrs Nomvula Mokonyane, has invited nominations for the establishment of an Advisory Committee in terms of section 3A of the National Environmental Management Act, 1998 (Act No. 107 of 1998) (NEMA). The Advisory Committee will act as a high-level Panel to review policies, legislation and practices on matters related to the breeding, hunting, trade and handling of elephant, lion, leopard and rhinoceros.
The invitation to submit nominations for members of the Panel was published in Government Gazette 42247 (Notice No. 243) on 25 February 2019. The deadline for nominations is 27 March 2019.
The Department of Environmental Affairs has for some time dealt with a number of emotive and complex conservation and sustainable use issues, particularly those involving keystone species. These include the elephant culling debate, the ivory stockpile, trade in rhinoceros horn and the emerging issue of lion bone trade.
It is for this reason that an Advisory Committee will be established in terms of Section 3A of NEMA, read with Section 50(2) of the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act, 2004 (Act No. 10 of 2004) (NEMBA). In addition to the above-mentioned review of policies, legislation and practices the Panel will also review the implementation of the recommendations of the Committee of Inquiry into the feasibility, or not, of a legal rhinoceros horn trade, and any future decisions affecting trade-related proposals to the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
Members of the public or organisations are invited to submit to the Minister, within 30 days after the publication of the notice in the Gazette, written nomination to the following address:
By post to:
The Director-General
Department of Environmental Affairs
Attention: Mr Khorommbi Matibe
Chief Director: Biodiversity Economy and Sustainable Use
Private Bag X447
Pretoria
0001
By hand at:
Environmental House
473 Steve Biko Street
Arcadia|
Pretoria
0083.
By e-mail: kmahamba@environment.gov.za or kmatibe@environment.gov.za
Any enquiries in connection with the notice can be directed to Mr Khorommbi Matibe at 082 566 4257 / 012 399 8621 or Mr Khuthadzo Mahamba at 012 399 8845.
To access the Gazetted Notice click on:
Comments received after the closing date may be disregarded.
For media inquiries contact:
Albi Modise
Cell: 083 490 2871
