The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Environmental Affairs would like to urge South Africans to be more conscious of the environment in celebration of World Environment Day on 5 June.

As the Portfolio Committee on Environmental Affairs that represents the interests of the South African public on environmental matters, we would like to remind our people that wildlife crime is eroding our precious biodiversity, robbing us of some of our rhino and abalone species, and more recently elephants and cycad plants. The ongoing relentless poaching of our biodiversity threatens to reverse the hard-won population increases achieved by our enterprising conservation efforts during the past 20th century. Consequently our government – through the Department of Environmental Affairs and other partner departments as well as agencies, communities, and other relevant stakeholders in the private sector – has exerted concerted efforts to stem this tide.

However, the enormity of the challenge requires an “all hands on deck” approach, meaning that we all have a responsibility both collectively and individually as South Africans to ensure the sustainability of our biodiversity for both current and future generations, as mandated by Section 24 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa of 1996, which stipulates that “Everyone has the right to an environment that is not harmful to their health or well-being; and to have the environment protected, for the benefit of present and future generations, through reasonable legislative and other measures that:

• Prevent pollution and ecological degradation;
• Promote conservation; and
• Secure ecologically sustainable development and use of natural resources while promoting justifiable economic and social development.”

As a public representative, I appeal to our people from all walks of life to take a stance against wildlife crime by reporting any suspected illegal activity in and around our national parks and all other forms of protected areas. We must not only focus on 5 June, but the whole month of June, which is our National Environment Month, including most importantly the celebration of World Environment Day on 5 June, and other key events celebrated in the same month: World Oceans Day on 8 June and World Day to Combat Desertification on 17 June. Let us all take part in environmental action and become agents of change for positive impact on our country and on our planet.

 

Issued by Parliamentary Communication Services on behalf of the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Environmental Affairs, Mr Phillemon Mapulane