Honourable Deputy Minister, Ms Rejoice Mabudafhasi's speech for the Budget Vote on Environmental Affairs and Tourism, National Assembly

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