Issued by: The Ministry of Environmental Affairs and Tourism
9 March 1998
Enviromental and Tourism Minister Dr Z Pallo Jordan has given the COEGA Industrial Development Zone in the Eastern Cape a clean bill of health as far as its impact on the environment is concerned.
Jordan said he has thoroughly considered all the objections raised, reviewed all the documents presented, studied the environmental impact assessment reports.
"I am of the opinion that the COEGA IDZ initiative should pro- ceed, provided that all the recommendations made by the Department are adhered to. My department will support the provincial authority if and when necessary to ensure that the development takes place with due cognisance of environmental policies and principles," he said.
The national Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism has initiated a process to compile an Enviromental Management Framework for the Port Elizabeth metropolitan area, including COEGA, to ensure that sound management guidelines are put in place.
"As part of that process my office will recommend that an independent, on-site environmental management office be established for the COEGA IDZ. This office will report directly to a committee of representatives from the provincial environmental authority, my department and the Port Elizabeth, Uitenhage and Despatch municipalities," Jordan said.