Date: 30/06/2005
Source: Gauteng Provincial Government
Title: Mosunkutu: Developer’s Public Meeting
Opening address of Gauteng's MEC for Agriculture, Conservation and Environment, Mr Khabisi Mosunkutu, at the Developer’s Public Meeting, Johannesburg College of Education, Johannesburg
Programme Director
Leaders of political parties present
Members of the Mayoral Committees present
Councillors present Head of Department: Dr. Steven Cornelius Stakeholders in the Environmental Management, Commercial,
Developmental and Industrial sectors, Members of NGOs and CBOs, Officials from the different spheres of Government Friends and colleagues Invited guests Ladies and Gentlemen
It is a pleasure for me to once again have this opportunity to engage with you in such an important meeting. A lot has transpired between the last meeting we had in such a forum and now. At the time of our meeting, in August 2004, the National Environmental Management Second Amendment Act, Act No 8 of 2004, which came into force on the 7 January 2005, had not been passed. We are now left with only seven days before the window period associated with this Act expires and the full impact of the Act starts to be felt by those who think that laws can be violated with impunity and that the lives of our communities can be sacrificed at the throne of maximum profits. Enough will be said about this during the course of this meeting. At the time of our meeting in August 2004, we had also not yet addressed the Provincial Legislature on our priorities for the 2005/2006 financial year. I wish to briefly reflect on these strategic priorities for us to discuss them and to practically build a strong partnership between Government and yourselves on these important objectives - strategic objectives that are geared towards stimulating faster economic growth and the building of secure and sustainable communities. Addressing the Gauteng Provincial Legislature on 7 June 2005, we reflected on the ravages brought against our environment. Indicating that this devastation is really all in a league of its own, we pointed out that internationally;
* Well over 360 000 tons of carbon is released into the atmosphere every 10 seconds; and * More than 21 420 tons of toxic waste is also generated every 10 seconds.
We also spoke about our country's contribution to this wretchedness. We said then that:
* 34 % of our terrestrial ecosystems are under threat, with 5% listed as critically endangered; and that
* 82% of our 120 rivers are under threat with 34% critically endangered.
Urging the Legislature not to prevaricate in supporting our clear developmental strategic objectives, we said, among others, that we needed to speed up the establishment of Environmental Management Forums. We also said that we urgently need to have Environmental Management Frameworks. I do hope that this meeting will set solid ground to smoothly move forward on these issues.
Most of us gathered here will probably readily acknowledge that our Province is the economic hub of the country. However, the growth in the economy, coupled with an ever-increasing growth in the population, has meant that our ability to protect environmental quality and ensure a healthy and safe environment for our citizens is challenged. I hope that you will all agree with me that this challenge to the constitutional obligation - an obligation to promote an environment that is not harmful to the health and wellbeing of all our communities, cannot be countenance.
The purpose of today's gathering is aimed at discussing this very issue.
Environmental Impact Assessments and the Regulation thereof is one of the key tools in our hands to ensure that we utilise the environment in a sustainable manner. We, the people in this room today, are the main role players in ensuring sustainable development.
Although we have different and sometimes conflicting roles to play in the developmental processes in the Province, we are combined in our responsibility to not only the current but also future generations.
Before we discuss roles and responsibilities, I believe that it is important to remind ourselves that the purpose of the Environmental Impact Assessment process is to assess the potential impacts associated with a proposed development on the Environment and vice versa and then to firstly establish whether such impacts can be avoided and if it cannot be altogether avoided, whether it can be mitigated to acceptable levels.
It is not an exercise for rubberstamping purposes! It is essential in ensuring that we consider carefully the immediate and long term environmental, social and economic implications of development. We must therefore examine and re-examine and keep on re-examining not only measures to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of this tool and decisions made in accordance with the EIA Regulations, but also our attitude and commitment towards it.
It is my understanding that there is some level of frustration amongst stakeholders about various issues related to the administration of EIA's in Gauteng and similarly I am aware of the frustrations and constraints within the Department. Dr Cornelius will elaborate on this in his presentation.
For me, it is important that we utilise this opportunity today, to open lines of communication between stakeholders and the Department and to ensure that we are clear about the roles and responsibilities of the different role players as far as EIAs are concerned. It is also my view that the establishment of an EIA Forum in Gauteng, as will be explained by Mr Ndlovu later today, will play an important part in not only improving stakeholder engagement but also in facilitating two-way capacitating.
I truly believe that as you, our stakeholders, can learn much from us, equally we can only benefit from your vast experience in the wide range of disciplines that influence the EIA process. Ultimately, we need to be clear on "the rules" of EIA in Gauteng, about what the bottom line entails and what is reasonable to expect of each other.
I would also like to use this opportunity to remind stakeholders that as the MEC, I am not only providing the political leadership to the Department and by implication the EIA function, I am also by law designated as the appeal authority.
In conclusion, Ladies and Gentlemen, the Department and I fully support the 2014 objectives of the ruling Government. We are committed to job creation, improvement of quality of life and sustainable economic growth. Ours however, is the very difficult task to, balance these developmental objectives with best environmental practice to also ensure improved environmental quality and sustainable environmental protection. The various decision support tools, policies and guidelines developed and implemented by the Department give effect to these objectives and are in large supported by the Provincial Executive Council.
I thank you.
For more information contact: Sizwe Matshikiza
Tel: (011) 355 1316
Cell: 082 778 9996
Issued by: Department of Agriculture, Conservation and environment, Gauteng Provincial Government
30 June 2005
Source: Gauteng Provincial Government
Title: Mosunkutu: Developer’s Public Meeting
Opening address of Gauteng's MEC for Agriculture, Conservation and Environment, Mr Khabisi Mosunkutu, at the Developer’s Public Meeting, Johannesburg College of Education, Johannesburg
Programme Director
Leaders of political parties present
Members of the Mayoral Committees present
Councillors present Head of Department: Dr. Steven Cornelius Stakeholders in the Environmental Management, Commercial,
Developmental and Industrial sectors, Members of NGOs and CBOs, Officials from the different spheres of Government Friends and colleagues Invited guests Ladies and Gentlemen
It is a pleasure for me to once again have this opportunity to engage with you in such an important meeting. A lot has transpired between the last meeting we had in such a forum and now. At the time of our meeting, in August 2004, the National Environmental Management Second Amendment Act, Act No 8 of 2004, which came into force on the 7 January 2005, had not been passed. We are now left with only seven days before the window period associated with this Act expires and the full impact of the Act starts to be felt by those who think that laws can be violated with impunity and that the lives of our communities can be sacrificed at the throne of maximum profits. Enough will be said about this during the course of this meeting. At the time of our meeting in August 2004, we had also not yet addressed the Provincial Legislature on our priorities for the 2005/2006 financial year. I wish to briefly reflect on these strategic priorities for us to discuss them and to practically build a strong partnership between Government and yourselves on these important objectives - strategic objectives that are geared towards stimulating faster economic growth and the building of secure and sustainable communities. Addressing the Gauteng Provincial Legislature on 7 June 2005, we reflected on the ravages brought against our environment. Indicating that this devastation is really all in a league of its own, we pointed out that internationally;
* Well over 360 000 tons of carbon is released into the atmosphere every 10 seconds; and * More than 21 420 tons of toxic waste is also generated every 10 seconds.
We also spoke about our country's contribution to this wretchedness. We said then that:
* 34 % of our terrestrial ecosystems are under threat, with 5% listed as critically endangered; and that
* 82% of our 120 rivers are under threat with 34% critically endangered.
Urging the Legislature not to prevaricate in supporting our clear developmental strategic objectives, we said, among others, that we needed to speed up the establishment of Environmental Management Forums. We also said that we urgently need to have Environmental Management Frameworks. I do hope that this meeting will set solid ground to smoothly move forward on these issues.
Most of us gathered here will probably readily acknowledge that our Province is the economic hub of the country. However, the growth in the economy, coupled with an ever-increasing growth in the population, has meant that our ability to protect environmental quality and ensure a healthy and safe environment for our citizens is challenged. I hope that you will all agree with me that this challenge to the constitutional obligation - an obligation to promote an environment that is not harmful to the health and wellbeing of all our communities, cannot be countenance.
The purpose of today's gathering is aimed at discussing this very issue.
Environmental Impact Assessments and the Regulation thereof is one of the key tools in our hands to ensure that we utilise the environment in a sustainable manner. We, the people in this room today, are the main role players in ensuring sustainable development.
Although we have different and sometimes conflicting roles to play in the developmental processes in the Province, we are combined in our responsibility to not only the current but also future generations.
Before we discuss roles and responsibilities, I believe that it is important to remind ourselves that the purpose of the Environmental Impact Assessment process is to assess the potential impacts associated with a proposed development on the Environment and vice versa and then to firstly establish whether such impacts can be avoided and if it cannot be altogether avoided, whether it can be mitigated to acceptable levels.
It is not an exercise for rubberstamping purposes! It is essential in ensuring that we consider carefully the immediate and long term environmental, social and economic implications of development. We must therefore examine and re-examine and keep on re-examining not only measures to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of this tool and decisions made in accordance with the EIA Regulations, but also our attitude and commitment towards it.
It is my understanding that there is some level of frustration amongst stakeholders about various issues related to the administration of EIA's in Gauteng and similarly I am aware of the frustrations and constraints within the Department. Dr Cornelius will elaborate on this in his presentation.
For me, it is important that we utilise this opportunity today, to open lines of communication between stakeholders and the Department and to ensure that we are clear about the roles and responsibilities of the different role players as far as EIAs are concerned. It is also my view that the establishment of an EIA Forum in Gauteng, as will be explained by Mr Ndlovu later today, will play an important part in not only improving stakeholder engagement but also in facilitating two-way capacitating.
I truly believe that as you, our stakeholders, can learn much from us, equally we can only benefit from your vast experience in the wide range of disciplines that influence the EIA process. Ultimately, we need to be clear on "the rules" of EIA in Gauteng, about what the bottom line entails and what is reasonable to expect of each other.
I would also like to use this opportunity to remind stakeholders that as the MEC, I am not only providing the political leadership to the Department and by implication the EIA function, I am also by law designated as the appeal authority.
In conclusion, Ladies and Gentlemen, the Department and I fully support the 2014 objectives of the ruling Government. We are committed to job creation, improvement of quality of life and sustainable economic growth. Ours however, is the very difficult task to, balance these developmental objectives with best environmental practice to also ensure improved environmental quality and sustainable environmental protection. The various decision support tools, policies and guidelines developed and implemented by the Department give effect to these objectives and are in large supported by the Provincial Executive Council.
I thank you.
For more information contact: Sizwe Matshikiza
Tel: (011) 355 1316
Cell: 082 778 9996
Issued by: Department of Agriculture, Conservation and environment, Gauteng Provincial Government
30 June 2005
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